Bill > H3026

This bill, relative to improving passenger rail service between Springfield and Boston, mandates the creation of a working group by the office of transportation planning by October 1, 2015, to speed up enhancements to passenger rail service connecting Springfield, Worcester, and Boston, specifically aiming for high-speed rail along the "Inland Route" which would link to the "Knowledge Corridor" high-speed rail line and north/south rail services in Boston. This working group will include elected officials from affected communities, rail companies such as Amtrak, PanAm, MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority), and CSX Railways, as well as regional planning commissions like the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission, and Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, and will coordinate with existing planning processes and incorporate goals from the "Transforming the Rail Network for Economic and Community Development" document.