BOSTON — The Massachusetts legislature has passed a transportation bill including $275 million in funding for the East-West Rail project, which would extend existing rail service west from Worcester to Springfield and Pittsfield, Mass.
The Boston Globe reports the $11.3 billion transportation and infrastructure bill was part of a flurry of legislation passed late Sunday and early Monday, as the legislature reached and passed a midnight deadline for the end of its session. The session finally ended about 5 a.m., after lawmakers suspended their rules regarding the deadline.
The bill now goes to Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, who has 10 days to sign or veto it.
Earlier this year, Baker and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal announced a plan for a new state rail authority to oversee the project and seek federal funding [see “State, federal officials announce agreement …,” Trains News Wire, April 27, 2022]. A 2021 report estimated costs for various versions of the project ranged from $2.4 billion to $4.6 billion.
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