SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1383        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1849

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Eric P. Lesser

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to study the feasibility of high-speed rail access between Springfield and Boston.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Eric P. Lesser

First Hampden and Hampshire

Thomas M. McGee

Third Essex

Harriette L. Chandler

First Worcester

James T. Welch

Hampden

Donald F. Humason, Jr.

Second Hampden and Hampshire

Benjamin B. Downing

Berkshire, Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden

Anne M. Gobi

Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Middlesex

Ryan C. Fattman

Worcester and Norfolk

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

Joseph F. Wagner

8th Hampden

Aaron Vega

5th Hampden

Carlos Gonzalez

10th Hampden

Brian M. Ashe

2nd Hampden

Jose F. Tosado

9th Hampden

Thomas M. Petrolati

7th Hampden

Benjamin Swan

11th Hampden

Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.

12th Hampden

John W. Scibak

2nd Hampshire

John C. Velis

4th Hampden

Ellen Story

3rd Hampshire

Michael J. Finn

6th Hampden

Peter V. Kocot

1st Hampshire

William Smitty Pignatelli

4th Berkshire

Tricia Farley-Bouvier

3rd Berkshire

Antonio F. D. Cabral

13th Bristol

Chris Walsh

6th Middlesex


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1383        FILED ON: 1/16/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1849

By Mr. Lesser, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1849) of Eric P. Lesser, Thomas M. McGee, Harriette L. Chandler, James T. Welch and other members of the General Court for legislation to study the feasibility of high-speed rail access between Springfield and Boston.  Transportation.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

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

_______________

 

An Act to study the feasibility of high-speed rail access between Springfield and Boston.

 

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

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 city of Springfield and the city of Boston.

The study shall examine and evaluate the costs and economic opportunities related to establishing high-speed rail service between the city of Springfield and the city of 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; (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 the report with the clerks of the house and senate, the chairs of the house and senate committee on ways and means and the chairs of the joint committee on transportation not later than August 1, 2015.