Yet another sign that South Coast Rail is on its way to Fall River, New Bedford, and Taunton

The South Coast Rail passenger service is still on pace to be active in the spring of 2025 in Fall River, New Bedford, Taunton, Freetown, and Middleborough and today Fall River Reporter received yet another sign of that being true.

MassDOT stated that crews have begun installing new signs along the highways leading to South Coast Rail stations. The location of the work will be on Route 24 in Taunton, Freetown, and Fall River, Route 140, and I-195 in New Bedford weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Also, construction continues for the new pedestrian bridge across Route 18 and Acushnet Avenue connecting to the New Bedford Station, including sidewalk work on Purchase Street and Acushnet Avenue. Starting the week of Sunday, October 6, crews will be conducting overnight work including the removal of the temporary bridge support steel over Route 18. This work will require overnight road closures and detours of Acushnet Avenue and Route 18 northbound/southbound. It is expected this work will continue for 2-3 weeks. The work will take place weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Nighttime work hours (starting week of October 6), will be from 8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

The following details were also released by the MBTA last week regarding SouthCoast Rail service in Fall River and New Bedford:

“Initially, 26 trips were expected to be part of revenue service daily for the Fall River and New Bedford lines. The team has since increased total weekday trips between South Station and East Taunton to 32. This includes 15 trips on the Fall River line (increased from 13) and 17 trips on the New Bedford Line (increased from 13). There will be a total of 26 trips between South Station and East Taunton on the weekends. The project team expects 70 minutes between trains on weekdays and 120 minutes between trains on the weekends. 

“Late night service will be offered to South Coast Rail stations with the last train leaving Boston just before midnight. 

“In addition to direct service, there will also be shuttles operating between each terminus point and East Taunton Station. This allows for even more frequent service, which is consistent with the All-Day Service model across the rest of the Commuter Rail network. 

“The MBTA has determined that the fare structure for all South Coast Rail stations will be priced in Zone 8. This means that passengers will pay a full fare of $12.25 and a reduced fare of $6.”

In addition to today’s news, according to Massachusetts State Rep. Carole Fiola, after attending a South Coast Rail update meeting on September 16th, it looks like the project is on track for a May 2025 startup.

Last month, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority announced that the dispatching responsibilities for the South Coast Rail territory has been transferred to MBTA’s Railroad Operations division and will now be performed by its operating partner Keolis Commuter Services, marking a significant milestone in the project’s progress. 

“We remain committed to delivering long awaited rail service on the new South Coast Rail project to provide residents with reliable alternatives to driving,” said MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “With the completion of automatic train control testing and the support of our operating partner Keolis taking over dispatch, we’re excited to be one step closer to bringing safe and reliable service to more communities.”

The upcoming transition includes preparations for Keolis to assume maintenance responsibilities effective February 1, 2025, further consolidating operational oversight under MBTA management. 

Currently, Massachusetts Coastal Railroad manages dispatch operations and is actively facilitating the transition to Keolis, ensuring a seamless integration into the Commuter Rail system.

Initiated in 2019, the South Coast Rail project aims to restore passenger rail service between Boston and Southeastern Massachusetts, after over 65 years of hiatus. 

“This transition is a pivotal step towards integrating the South Coast Rail project into our Commuter Rail system,” said MBTA South Coast Rail Program Executive Karen Antion. “With Keolis taking over dispatch duties, we are on track to meet our scheduled milestones and bring Commuter Rail service to the South Coast region.” 

“We’re excited to be one step closer to passenger service commencement and to bringing Commuter Rail benefits to another region in Massachusetts,” said MBTA Executive Director of Commuter Rail Michael Muller. 

“Hundreds of thousands of individuals rely on the MBTA every day. Transitioning dispatch operations to Keolis is a critical milestone for the South Coast Rail project and is reflective of our dedication to seamlessly integrate this territory into our existing network,” said MBTA Chief Railroad Officer Michael Rooks.

Some trains may pass at speeds up to 79 miles per hour. The MBTA emphasizes public safety, urging caution near rail tracks and underscoring the importance of avoiding trespassing. 

With Automatic Train Control testing completed, additional testing is underway, including testing of over 800 Positive Train Control functions. Beginning in August, two test trains will be testing simultaneously.   

Also, according to Chief Communications Officer Gabrielle Mondestin, “seeing as though the South Coast Rail is an extension of the Middleborough Line Commuter Rail service, on which weekend service is already scheduled and offered, it is not a question of whether weekend service will be provided but rather at what levels as service schedules and levels are still under evaluation as part of the overall service schedule development. We will be sure to share the finalized details as soon as they’re available.”