Washington, DC
SPRINGFIELD — U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal led Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito through the now-empty passenger tunnel at Springfield’s Union Station on Monday following a news conference.
“You can imagine what a beehive of activity this once was,” Neal, a longtime advocate for the rehabilitation of the 89-year-old depot, told her. “This would have been full of people.”
Congressman Richard E. Neal talks about increasing East to West rail service during a press conference at Union Station on Monday.
The occasion was Polito’s announcement of the final $12 million in funding for the $88.5 million project to transform Union Station into the Union Station Regional Intermodal Transportation Center. Of the money, $9.6 million comes from federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program funding for the for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, and $2.4 million is the required state match to leverage the federal funds. All told, the project has $88.5 million in federal, state and local funding. Much of the federal money has been earmarked through Neal’s efforts.
“And it is worth every dime and every dollar,” Neal (D-Springfield) said, defending the federal earmarking process of securing funds. “There is no one who knows better the needs of this community than the officials elected to represent it.”
The money announced Monday makes it certain that Union Station will be completely renovated in one project, not done in phases as previously planned, said Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno.
“This last chunk of funding makes sure this project moves forward completely,” Sarno said.
Officials expect the project to be completed in the fall of 2016.
Neal also used the occasion to push for the inclusion of enhanced, faster rail service from Boston through Worcester into Springfield and beyond as part of the infrastructure package related to the Boston 2024 Olympics games bid.
He’s pushed the linkage in meetings with Olympics boosters John Fish and with Roger Crandall, the CEO of MassMutual Financial Group. Neal said Western and Central Massachusetts should get east-west rail for supporting the Olympic bid.
“(Union Station) is worth every dime and every dollar.” ~ U.S. Rep. Richard Neal
“I don’t think any of us are naive enough to think that this (Olympics) is going to be done without public expense,” Neal said. “I saw what the Big Dig did to Western Massachusetts. There has to be an ‘ask’ for this part of the state. Hosting some volleyball games and whitewater canoeing is not going to be enough.”
Polito was noncommittal, saying only that enhanced east-west service would come “in time.” The Baker-Politio administration’s most recent capital budget includes money for MBTA passenger rail expansion.The emphasis now has to be on maintaining the existing network especially in light of a difficult winter.
Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito announced that the Baker-Polito administration pledges the funding to complete the Union Station project in Springfield.
A study of east-west rail is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
Connecticut has a $365-million project to enhance its north-south service from New Haven to Hartford and on to Springfield. That service could add 14 to 16 trains a day to Springfield, although Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy has accused Amtrak of dragging its feet on the project, making it more expensive, according to reporting last week in the Hartford Courant.
Last year, Amtrak returned service to the Connecticut River Valley.
At the Union Station site, workers are now driving piles for the six-floor 377-space parking facility that will front Main Street at the site of the old Hotel Charles.
Workers are also building outdoor bus bays, said Robert J. Aquadro, project manager for Daniel O’Connell’s Sons. Work is also ongoing on the elevated railroad tracks now used by Amtrak and by CSX.
All the interior demolition of the station itself has been completed.
The next job will be to waterproof the tunnel leading from the grand concourse under the tracks so it can be reopened to the public. The tunnel access stairways and elevators to the track side will also open the building up to Lyman Street.
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