The return of a South Coast Rail line to Boston has more cons than pros

The South Coast Rail line could be up and running by the end of 2023.

As construction continues on the South Coast Rail restoration project outside of Boston, there is some doubt that the return to rail will be worth it.

Fall River, New Bedford, and Taunton are the last cities within 60 miles of Boston to see rail make a comeback. The line was closed in 1959, forcing commuters to find other forms of travel.

However, the new line might not be the best version of itself. State transportation planners moved the project to a slower and cheaper route due to the Hockmock swamp, the largest wetland in Massachusetts. An environmental group threatened to sue if the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) attempted to build over the wetlands. The trip from New Bedford to Boston will be 20 minutes longer due to the switch. Trains also will now have to manipulate through the tightest choke point in MBTA’s commuter rail system, which is a single track starting in Braintree.

The MBTA estimates the trip to New Bedford to Boston will be about 90 minutes, which is longer than taking the route by car. Furthermore, no stops will be made at any of the downtown stops of South Coast cities, and there might not be any weekend service. The line is scheduled to open in late 2023.

A second phase of the project is supposedly in the works, but MBTA did not include it in the agency’s five-year capital plan.  

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