Washington, DC
U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, said Friday he is happy Berkshire lawmakers are trying to get a proposal for expanding high-speed rail from Boston to Springfield to also look at including the Berkshire region.
“I was glad that the Berkshire contingent said they think the study ought to include rail to Pittsfield as well. That was very encouraging,” Neal told reporters after speaking at a Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce event.
Neal has been a supporter of an effort to bring high-speed passenger rail from Boston to Springfield. He submitted testimony in favor of the project to the Legislature’s Transportation Committee, which held a hearing this week on a bill that would require a feasibility study of establishing high-speed Boston to Springfield rail.
In his testimony, Neal wrote that a study “is of the utmost importance to show the economic, social, cultural and environmental impacts that high-speed rail access between Springfield and Boston would have across the Commonwealth.”
“Being able to better understand and evaluate this potential to maximize the vitality and prosperity of the entire region is an opportunity that should not be overlooked,” Neal wrote. “The enhanced mobility and connectivity to the eastern part of the Commonwealth is at stake with this project, and thus too is our collective prosperity.”
Neal said Friday that he would like to see the issue discussed as “improved rail” rather than “high-speed” rail, with a focus on fixing the condition of rail lines to allow for higher-speed trains.
“I think east-west rail would be very helpful to the Western Massachusetts economy,” Neal said.
During his Chamber of Commerce speech, Neal said the Western Massachusetts economy tends to “generally lag Boston by about one year.”
But he said there are signs of optimism, such as the renovation of Springfield’s Union Station, the business investment surrounding MGM’s new casino in Springfield, and the resumption of north-south rail between Connecticut and Springfield.
Neal said he now wants to see the Connecticut rail line extended north of Springfield.
