SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation shall run passenger rail service between the cities of Pittsfield and Boston via Springfield at least five-times daily on the existing CSX rail line. The department may utilize the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority or contract with outside entities in order to run said passenger rail service. The department may also utilize a portion or all of the $50 million in capital authorization allocated for East-West passenger rail service pursuant to line item 6622-2184 in section 2E of chapter 383 of the acts of 2020.

SECTION 2. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation shall evaluate and identify potential funding sources, including capital investments and ongoing operations and maintenance funding, at both the state and federal level, to support the establishment of fast, frequent, and reliable passenger rail service between the cities of Pittsfield and Boston via Springfield. The department shall also determine all necessary steps the commonwealth must take in order to best position itself for any available federal funding.

The department shall file a report of its findings with the clerks of the house and senate, and with the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on transportation, not later than six months after the effective date of this act.

SECTION 3. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, pursuant to the recommendations of the 2020 East-West Passenger Rail Study conducted by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the department shall conduct an economic impact analysis on the economic benefits and transformational impact that expanded passenger rail service between Pittsfield and Boston via Springfield would have in the commonwealth on a community, regional, and statewide level.

The analysis shall examine and evaluate the potential effects said passenger rail would have on the long-term demographic and growth patterns of Massachusetts; the ability to offer affordable housing options, relieve traffic congestion and bring down the high cost of housing; the expansion of regional workforce reach and job opportunities across the commonwealth; the ability to provide significant economic benefits to communities along the rail corridor; and any other effects deemed necessary by the department in order to ensure a complete economic impact analysis. Said analysis shall include, but not be limited to: (i) examining similarly situated projects in other states, including the economic and demographic results achieved and significant contributors to those results; (ii) evaluating the current and prospective factors affecting regional growth in Western Massachusetts; (iii) examining the availability of federal, state, local and private sector funding sources and the potential impact of said investments; and (iv) evaluating how passenger rail service between the cities of Pittsfield and Boston via Springfield may change regional land use and housing policy.

The department shall file a copy of said analysis with the clerks of the house and senate, and with the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on transportation, not later than six months after the effective date of this act. 

SECTION 4. Section 1 shall take effect on January 1, 2024.