Connection Between East-West & Hartford Rail Would Increase Ridership
Published on October 14, 2021
New Analysis Shows Connection Between Proposed East-West Rail and Hartford Rail Would Dramatically Increase East-West Rail Ridership
HARTFORD, CONN (October 14, 2021) – Yesterday, Mayor Luke Bronin joined Eric P. Lesser, State Senator from Massachusetts; Kimberly H. Robinson, Executive Director of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC); and Lyle Wray, Executive Director Emeritus of the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) for a virtual press conference announcing significant ridership findings based on a new sketch-level analysis on East-West Passenger Rail in Massachusetts.
The analysis was prepared by AECOM for CRCOG and PVPC and comes as a follow-up to the Metro Hartford-Springfield Rail Improvements Economic Impacts Study released last spring, which demonstrated an addition of up to 40,000 jobs over 30 years and an economic return on investment ratio of 10:1. By connecting Springfield to Boston, this would connect cities throughout the region, including Hartford, Springfield, New Haven and Worcester to one another, and allow for more direct rail transit from Hartford to Boston.
The East-West Rail Sketch Level Ridership Forecast Update showed that with the inclusion of direct service to the Hartford Line in the East-West Rail forecast, ridership estimates increase by 54%. This significant increase in ridership numbers, coupled with the economic impact study results, comes at a pivotal moment as the $1 trillion federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act moves through negotiations in Congress.
“East-West Rail is going to do more than link two regions, it’s going to link all of Western New England with all of Eastern New England,” said Senator Lesser. “MassDOT needs to take this research into account and update their feasibility study to include the economic impact analysis prepared by PVPC and CRCOG as well as this forecast update from AECOM. Now is the time for East-West Rail and with partners like Mayor Bronin, PVPC, CRCOG, and our federal delegation, I believe that we can get this done to create jobs, address skyrocketing housing costs, and increase economic opportunity for all of our communities.”
"This analysis proves what we already know: East-West Rail between Springfield and Boston will make a huge difference for communities in our region," said Mayor Bronin. "Increasing rail connectivity between cities in the Northeast isn't just about convenience, it's about job creation, housing opportunity, and economic growth. I want to thank Senator Lesser for his partnership and his leadership on behalf of Southern Massachusetts, as well as the PVPC and everyone at CRCOG, and of course Congressman Neal, who has been a tireless advocate for East-West Rail. East-West rail is long, long overdue, and we need to work together to make it a reality now."
“Today we are again acknowledging the fact that in order for this once in a generation project to be completed, we will need to work together with our regional partners in Connecticut to present, not a singular rail project existing in a vacuum, but rather a critical component of a larger rail system connecting Boston to New York City through a climate resilient and economically empowering Inland Route,” said PVPC Executive Director Kimberly H. Robinson. “The real life ridership figures already enjoyed by the smaller market, lower frequency, and longer travel time Amtrak Downeaster line tells us a Metro Hartford-Springfield line will succeed, and the recent economic impact study conducted on such an Inland Route connection has provided us with a warning of the high opportunity cost of not completing this project.”
Senator Lesser, Mayor Bronin, Kim Robinson, and Lyle Wray discussing the sketch-level forecast
The East-West Rail Sketch Level Ridership Forecast Update can be accessed online here:
http://www.pvpc.org/sites/default/files/East-West%20Sketch%20Planning%20Model%20Results_0.pdf