Freight railroads’ key role in moving the Western Mass economy
When the Massachusetts Department of Transportation released a draft of its five-year state rail plan earlier this year, it faced concerns from transportation advocates and organizations based here in Western Massachusetts that the plan understates our region’s economic growth potential. Accordingly, agencies like the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission voiced concerns that the plan doesn’t fully reflect rail’s impact on the region’s economy or how additional rail system investments could help bolster job growth and economic competitiveness