This morning, Bridgewater State University invited state, regional, and local transportation and elected officials to a conference examining the impacts of South Coast Rail after one year of service.
Interim Transportation Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng was the keynote speaker at the conference. He said South Coast Rail has been a success, adding to the transit authority’s commitment to providing robust and reliable service.
GM Eng also said the MBTA is looking to make capital and infrastructure investments to improve the passenger experience and reduce travel time to and from Boston.
One of the panels assembled for the conference consisted of the four Gateway City mayors along the Fall River/New Bedford Line. Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan said the impact of South Coast Rail has been significant for Fall River, particularly as it plans for waterfront development made possible by the reconstruction of Rte. 79 and Davol Street.
The conference touched upon the history of the MBTA project and the opportunities it has created for economic development and growth in Southeastern Massachusetts. Lynn Oliveira, Chief Financial Officer at Bristol County Economic Development Consultants, which works closely with the Fall River Redevelopment Authority, said the city began seeing the benefits of South Coast Rail soon after its launch.
Regarding the future of South Coast Rail and its economic impact, many speakers favored a regional approach to promoting tourism and business recruitment as a strategy that would benefit all of Southeastern Massachusetts.
