John O. Mirick
Mirick O’Connell
100 Front St.
Worcester, MA 01608-1477

Dear Mr. Mirick:

Thank you for your letter of Nov. 15th offering the opportunity to submit community input to theI-495/Southwest Regional Commuter Rail and Operations Study.

In light of the findings of the 2010 MBTA study as to the potential cost of this expansion and the most recent statement by Transportation Secretary Richard Davey that nighttime commuter rail may need to be discontinued as part of the solution to the $161 million budget deficit projected for FY13, the proposed expansion of the Franklin Line to Foxboro seems ill conceived. 

While your study purports to show that a pilot program is operationally feasible for a very modest investment, this modest investment relies on “utilizing existing equipment and infrastructure with minimal capital expenditures.”   Just the six or more additional daily train runs proposed for the pilot program would further stress the notoriously bad service on the Franklin Line.  This line’s reliance on a single track from Norwood through Walpole, often results in a backlog of service when one of the decrepit engines currently in use breaks down.  Increasing the number of runs using the similar substandard equipment from the Fairmont Line will increase the odds of these breakdowns furthering the inconvenience of my Walpole and Norwood constituents. 

Of even greater concern, is the danger this experiment would bring to the families of the Walpole neighborhoods through which these trains would now run more frequently and at greater speeds made possible by proposed track improvements to the existing old freight line.  I find it most disturbing that your draft actually states:

 “The longest lead item for the pilot program improvements would be the procurement and installation of the signal system.  As the passenger rail service currently operates under ‘dark territory’ or unsignalized controls, if the decision were made to continue to operate under dark territory, service could be in place by May 2012 if all other improvements were made and the equipment was available.”

It is absolutely unacceptable that signals in South Walpole in particular would not be in place before even a pilot program would be implemented.  A pilot program can have just as deadly consequences as the completed project.  Safety must be addressed prior to any expansion.

In addition, the impact of this pilot program alone on the stability of the homes of my constituents whose properties border this little used freight line would require a comprehensive engineering study before it could be implemented.  Likewise an environmental study on the impact to the sole source aquifer is also necessary, yet your report calls for a pilot in the spring of 2012 and the completion of the expansion by May of 2013.

While my constituents would be negatively affected by this proposal, they would continue to be required to pay $4 daily to park at commuter rail stations, while your draft proposes to lure commuters to the Foxboro station with free parking and a reduction of the zone identification.

Furthermore, many questions abound as to who the proponents of the expansion of the Franklin Line to Foxboro are and the collaboration of the MBTA in this effort.  At the recent meeting which the Walpole delegation called for with representatives of the MBTA, it appeared that the MBTA was very much in favor of this immediate expansion but yet no reference can be found to this proposal in the Draft 5 Year Capital Investment Program (CIP) which has since been released on Nov. 29th. 

As stated in the CIP, “Given the Authority’s financial limitations, its vast array of infrastructure, and the need for prudent expansion, the number of capital needs identified each year usually exceeds the MBTA’s capacity to provide capital funds.  Therefore, the Authority engages in an annual prioritization and selection process to select the highest priorities.”  The only reference to the Franklin Line in this report is the long recognized need to replace the West Street bridges and this is identified as being “among the bridge projects the MBTA expects will need capital investment in the future.”  How can this new expansion project take place immediately if it is not even recognized as a need in this 5 year plan? 

In conclusion, there are so many risks to the lives and property and quality of life of the people of my district that I am strongly opposed to your proposal. 

Sincerely,

John H. Rogers

State Representative

Cc:  Richard Davey, DOT Secretary

       Eric Kraus, Chair. Walpole Board of Selectmen         

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