Senate passes amendment approving Pittsfield-Springfield-Boston rail study
The state Senate unanimously adopted an amendment on Thursday requiring the state Department of Transportation to conduct a study of high-speed rail between Boston and Springfield, this time with an extension to Pittsfield. “We owe it to all four counties to make sure the entire four-county region of Western Mass. is included in the analysis,” said Sen. Eric Lesser, D-Longmeadow, who sponsored the amendment. The study would look at capital and operating costs, ridership levels, operational issues, environmental and economic impacts, and the availability of funding.