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Preserve the North South Rail Link (NSRL) Right-of-way (S)
Formal Title: An Act To Preserve The Right Of Way For The North South Rail Link
Sponsors: Rep. Mary Grant
Contact: dale.earl@hou.state.ma.us
New/Refile: Refile of H3496
Bill Text: http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/house/185/ht03pdf/ht03496.pdf
The purpose of building the NSRL project  is to create the backbone for a modern, efficient, convenient rail service that offers an attractive transportation option for residents and tourists traveling throughout New England and the entire Northeast. The NSRL will close the only gap in the East Coast’s intercity rail system. This bill would study the best corridor for the link and protect it from future building construction that could prohibit its establishment.  

Additional information:

The purpose of building the North South Rail Link project (NSRL) is to create the backbone for a modern, efficient, convenient rail service that offers an attractive transportation option for residents and tourists traveling throughout New England and the entire Northeast. The NSRL will close the only gap in the East Coast’s intercity rail system.

This tunnel connection between North Station and South Station in Boston will allow Amtrak’s successful Northeast Corridor (NEC) Acela high speed rail service to extend through Boston to benefit people in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Canada. This will greatly enhance the federal investment already made in Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor because continuous interstate/intercity rail service, for the first time, will be available along the entire East Coast.

Ridership figures project that the North South Rail Link would eliminate at least 55,000 trips daily from our highway system. Environmental studies for the project released in the summer show that the North South Rail Link will result in the largest absolute time savings of any transportation project in Massachusetts, and clean our air and reduce global climate change by eliminating more than 582 tons of the global warming CO2 gas daily.

Please note: Bill text is based on pre-filing information provided by State legislative personel. In some cases, bills as filed may differ slightly.