HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3315        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3162

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Chynah Tyler

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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 reassessment of the Roxbury light-speed rail access.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3315        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3162

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

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An Act to study the feasibility reassessment of the Roxbury light-speed rail access.

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 rail service throughout the Roxbury section of Boston.

The study shall reexamine and evaluate all costs and economic opportunities related to establishing light rail service throughout the Roxbury section of Boston, including but not limited to: (i) a reassessment as to the advisability of providing such service by means of extension of existing light rail line service from Boylston Station with one alternative terminating at Dudley Station and a second alternative terminating at Mattapan Station, and  construction of new track along some or all of the proposed routes; (ii) the projected capital costs, including without limitation all costs associated with any required takings, the purchase of additional rolling stock, construction of additional maintenance facilities and stations, and the installation of positive train control along the proposed route; (iii) projected operating costs; (iv) projected timeline for design, permitting, and construction; (v) projected ridership levels and revenue estimates; (vi) the feasibility of operating such light rail service on existing rights of way and other operational issues related to providing such service, including without limitation its effect on scheduling and performance levels with respect to existing light rail lines; (vii) a reassessment of the environmental and community impacts; (viii) a list of all permits, consents,  and approvals that potentially may be required from any federal, state, local, or private entities;  (ix) an inventory of grade crossings and signalization requirements; (x) the availability of  federal, state, local and private sector funding sources, including without limitation an reassessment of potential contributions that may be derived from value capture programs; (xi) the resulting economic, social and cultural benefits to greater Boston and the commonwealth as a whole; and (xii) a reassessment of possible community mitigation during construction and operation of the service.

The department shall file the report with the clerks of the house of representatives and senate, the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means and the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on transportation not later than March 1, 2020.