New Plan Could Bring Commuter Rail Service to Bourne

(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

BOURNE – The chairman of the Joint Committee on Transportation recently discussed a plan that could eventually bring commuter rail service to Bourne.

At a hearing last month on the South Coast Rail Project in Bourne, State Rep William Straus (D-Mattapoisett) talked about a possible idea to build a new station in Middleborough that would connect train service from Fall River and New Bedford with service from Buzzards Bay or Wareham.

“It’s a pretty grandiose and big plan but it’s very viable,” said Tom Cahir, the administrator of the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority. “Knowing the governor the way I do, I think he would be receptive to that kind of innovation.”

The plan would build a new station in Middleborough at a MassDOT freight railyard about 2,000 feet from the Lakeville station. The proposed new station would include bring commuter trains into the station at about the same time and allow for passengers switch easily.

Cahir said the infrastructure and safety measures are already in place because of the CapeFLYER summer train service from Boston to Hyannis, which would make it easier to establish Cape Cod service.

“The cost for going that route, the overall cost, would be considerably less than the exclusive route being discussed for years,” Cahir said.

Cahir recently sent a letter to Governor Baker stating that the plan is a cost effective way to address the whole southeastern Massachusetts rail issue.

The plan has only been discussed locally but has garnered support from Bourne and Wareham, according to Cahir.

“For something that I’ve kind of hoped and thought about a lot over the years, it really has a very viable plan now that could happen,” Cahir said.

He believes the plan could come to fruition with the unanimous support from local legislators.

By BRIAN MERCHANT, CapeCod.com NewsCenter

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