Have questions about South Coast Rail? Ask the MBTA's general manager at public meeting
Commuters and local residents who want answers about South Coast Rail can take their questions right to the top, at a pair of public forums scheduled for Thursday evening.
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority General Manager Phillip Eng will host two meetings to discuss the status of the long-delayed commuter rail project on Thursday:
Fall River: 5:30 p.m., Bristol Community College, Building G, 777 Elsbree St.
New Bedford: 7:30 p.m., New Bedford Whaling Museum, 18 Johnny Cake Hill
The meetings are free; attendees do not have to register.
The regional rail project, in the works for decades, is connecting Fall River, New Bedford and Taunton to Boston’s South Station via MBTA Commuter Rail's Middleboro/Lakeville line. Built were passenger platforms in Fall River, Freetown, East Taunton and New Bedford, and a new station in Middleboro, along with layover stations in Fall River and New Bedford where trains are stored overnight.
When is South Coast Rail going to start?
We don’t know yet. Trains were initially announced to be rolling by the end of 2023; late last year, this estimate was revised to mid-2024. In April, South Coast Rail Director of Community Engagement Jean Fox suggested a mid-2024 rollout was “unlikely” and would not provide a specific date when rides will finally be available for paying customers.
What is the holdup for South Coast Rail?
Some South Coast Rail stations finished construction months ago; in the case of Freetown and Fall River Depot, over a year has elapsed since public officials cut ribbons and declared those stations complete. But the MBTA has said construction has lagged at the East Taunton station, and the line has also been undergoing an extensive systems-testing phase that could take months to complete.
What is the South Coast Rail ticket price and schedule?
These are unknown. The MBTA has not yet released its daily timetable. Commuter rail tickets are priced by zones; the MBTA has not released information regarding which zone its new stations are in.
At the April meeting, Fox suggested that South Coast Rail would probably offer weekend service, but this has not been confirmed as definite.
Who is Phillip Eng?
Eng was appointed the MBTA’s general manager and CEO in April 2023. He is a civil engineer with decades of public transit experience and was previously chief operating officer of New York City's Metropolitan Transit Authority.
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: MBTA CEO Phillip Eng hosting South Coast Rail public meetings June 13
