MassDOT Releases Northern Tier Passenger Rail Study Final Report

08:00AM / Thursday, December 05, 2024Print Story | Email Story

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced the release of the Northern Tier Passenger Rail Study final report.

The Northern Tier Passenger Rail Study examined the benefits, costs, and investments necessary to implement passenger rail service from North Adams to Greenfield and Boston, with the speed, frequency, and reliability necessary to be a competitive option for travel along the corridor.

"MassDOT is proud to announce the release of the Northern Tier Passenger Rail Study Final Report, which examines passenger rail service alternatives between North Adams, Greenfield, and Boston," said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. "Regional connectivity between west and east is a key priority as we imagine the future of transportation in Massachusetts. The Northern Tier Passenger Rail Study will be a valuable planning tool to identify service alternatives that can expand rail access, reduce congestion, and connect communities statewide."

The conceptual planning study developed and assessed six options for rail service along the corridor.

There were three overarching goals for the study:

Support economic development along the Northern Tier corridor
Promote transportation equity
Minimize impacts on public health and the environment from transportation

Public participation was critical in refining the study's goals and objectives, evaluation criteria, and the alternatives development process. The public involvement process included

four meetings with the stakeholder Working Group, consisting of federal, state, regional, and local representatives, three public information meetings, and a public workshop.

Potential routes were developed and evaluated based on the established goals, objectives, and evaluation criteria, as well as identified challenges and opportunities. The process began with the development and evaluation of two potential routes representing lower investment and higher investment scenarios. With feedback from the Working Group and the public, the two initial routes were refined, and four additional routes were developed and assessed as part of Phase 2.

Each option provided improved connectivity, mobility, and transportation choice in the Northern Tier corridor, with Alternative 3 (Electrified Service) and Alternative 4 (Full Local Service) achieving the highest ridership levels of the six potential routes. Higher ridership levels represent more reductions in vehicle miles travelled and reduced emissions.

For more information and to review the final report, please visit the Northern Tier Passenger Rail Study website at

https://www.mass.gov/northern-tier-passenger-rail-study.

Tags: MassDOT,

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Neal Tours Berkshire Innovation Center as Pittsfield's Tech Economy Grows

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:38PM / Thursday, October 15, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. —Congressman Richard Neal visited the Berkshire Innovation Center Thursday to highlight $735,000 in federal funding secured for a new cybersecurity training and testing facility.

"The number one job of the federal government is to provide for the security of its people. I mean, we should never lose sight of that, whether it's China or Russia, every single day there are these belligerents that are attempting to infiltrate national security here in the United States, and we should not be naive about it," Neal said. "I mean, we can have an argument about proportionality; we can do a lot of different things, but not to miss the point of what they're trying to do every day."

The new cybersecurity facility will provide regional manufacturers and businesses with research and design equipment, specialized lab space, and training facilities and is planned to be housed in a to-be-redeveloped space across the street from the Berkshire Innovation Center (BIC), located at 45 Woodlawn Ave.

The derelict property, formerly owned by General Electric, is now known as the William Stanley Business Park.

The project is a $7.2 million dollar investment from the state, $5.2 million from the tech collaborative, $2 million from bond funding secured by Neal, and $1 million that will be split into two phases: $500,000 for BIC to begin building and $500,000 for Myrias Optics to start production in Pittsfield, said Mayor Peter Marchetti.

BIC Executive Director Ben Sosne said manufacturers often highlight the need for help with cybersecurity, particularly in meeting the security requirements necessary to conduct business with General Dynamics and other major contractors.

Collaborators in the field and the public sector have recognized the need that has only grown since technology has advanced and is a great career opportunity, Sosne said.

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