Bill > H3037

This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Department of Transportation to establish a system for reusing surplus rail assets, such as old tracks, signals, and bridge materials, that are no longer needed by the Commonwealth. The goal is to upgrade the in-state freight rail network, improve the safe transport of goods, and boost the Massachusetts economy. The Secretary can offer and transfer these surplus materials to freight railroads operating within the Commonwealth, specifically those with rights on existing tracks or those operating on tracks owned by the Commonwealth. The Department of Transportation, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Railroad Association, will create and manage a fair system for distributing these assets, with the flexibility to adjust it as needed. Railroads must prove an immediate need for the assets at a specific location in Massachusetts to receive them, and a list of available surplus assets will be published periodically.