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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1939 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2269
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Paul W. Mark
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act to establish fast, frequent, and reliable passenger rail service between Pittsfield and
Boston via Springfield.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Paul W. MarkBerkshire, Hampden, Franklin and
Hampshire
Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/13/2023 1 of 3
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1939 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2269
By Mr. Mark, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 2269) of Paul W. Mark and Vanna
Howard for legislation to establish fast, frequent, and reliable passenger rail service between
Pittsfield and Boston via Springfield. Transportation.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 2345 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act to establish fast, frequent, and reliable passenger rail service between Pittsfield and
Boston via Springfield.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the
2Massachusetts Department of Transportation shall run passenger rail service between the cities
3of Pittsfield and Boston via Springfield at least five-times daily on the existing CSX rail line.
4The department may utilize the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority or contract with outside
5entities in order to run said passenger rail service. The department may also utilize a portion or
6all of the $50 million in capital authorization allocated for East-West passenger rail service
7pursuant to line item 6622-2184 in section 2E of chapter 383 of the acts of 2020.
8 SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the
9Massachusetts Department of Transportation shall evaluate and identify potential funding 2 of 3
10sources, including capital investments and ongoing operations and maintenance funding, at both
11the state and federal level, to support the establishment of fast, frequent, and reliable passenger
12rail service between the cities of Pittsfield and Boston via Springfield. The department shall also
13determine all necessary steps the commonwealth must take in order to best position itself for any
14available federal funding.
15 The department shall file a report of its findings with the clerks of the house and senate,
16and with the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on transportation, not later than six
17months after the effective date of this act.
18 SECTION 3. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, pursuant to the
19recommendations of the 2020 East-West Passenger Rail Study conducted by the Massachusetts
20Department of Transportation, the department shall conduct an economic impact analysis on the
21economic benefits and transformational impact that expanded passenger rail service between
22Pittsfield and Boston via Springfield would have in the commonwealth on a community,
23regional, and statewide level.
24 The analysis shall examine and evaluate the potential effects said passenger rail would
25have on the long-term demographic and growth patterns of Massachusetts; the ability to offer
26affordable housing options, relieve traffic congestion and bring down the high cost of housing;
27the expansion of regional workforce reach and job opportunities across the commonwealth; the
28ability to provide significant economic benefits to communities along the rail corridor; and any
29other effects deemed necessary by the department in order to ensure a complete economic impact
30analysis. Said analysis shall include, but not be limited to: (i) examining similarly situated
31projects in other states, including the economic and demographic results achieved and significant 3 of 3
32contributors to those results; (ii) evaluating the current and prospective factors affecting regional
33growth in Western Massachusetts; (iii) examining the availability of federal, state, local and
34private sector funding sources and the potential impact of said investments; and (iv) evaluating
35how passenger rail service between the cities of Pittsfield and Boston via Springfield may change
36regional land use and housing policy.
37 The department shall file a copy of said analysis with the clerks of the house and senate,
38and with the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on transportation, not later than six
39months after the effective date of this act.
40 SECTION 4. Section 1 shall take effect on January 1, 2024.