HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 4912        FILED ON: 7/8/2016

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 4498

Section 180 contained in the engrossed Bill making appropriations for the fiscal year 2017 (see House, No. 4450), which had been returned by His Excellency the Governor with recommendation of amendment (for message, see Attachment Q of House, No. 4505).  July 11, 2016.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

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In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

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An Act regarding a feasibility study for high-speed rail access.

 

Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purpose, which is to provide for a feasibility study for high-speed rail access, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public convenience.
 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.  Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation shall conduct a feasibility study relative to high-speed rail access between the cities of Springfield and Boston.

The study shall examine and evaluate the costs and economic opportunities related to establishing high-speed rail service between the cities of Springfield and Boston including, but not limited to: (i) the projected capital costs; (ii) the projected operating costs and revenue estimates; (iii) the projected ridership levels; (iv) the prospect of operating high-speed rail service on existing rights of way and other operational issues, including upgrades to the at-grade crossings in the towns of Ashland and Framingham; (v) the environmental and community impact estimates; (vi) the availability of federal, state, local and private sector funding sources; and (vii) the resulting economic, social and cultural benefits to the greater Springfield region and the commonwealth as a whole.

The department shall file a report with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means and the senate and house chairs of the joint committee on transportation not later than March 1, 2017.

SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect as of July 1, 2016.