East-West rail receives $50 million boost with passage of state’s Transportation Bond Bill
The Massachusetts Senate approved nearly $17 billion in borrowing to fund the state’s transportation system, including nearly $50 million in spending earmarked for the east-west rail project. The sweeping legislative package — a modified version of Gov. Charlie Baker’s bond bill proposed last year — would authorize billions of dollars in transportation investments over the course of years to fund road and bridge repair programs, MBTA improvements and regional transit authority electrification, among many other things. The $50 million for east-west rail will be set aside as a down payment on preparatory work as a state-sponsored feasibility study nears completion.