Regional Rail news for the Pioneer Valley
Summary of Today’s Reports
• Updated Knowledge Corridor Conference Program
• CTrail Hartford Line Factsheet Released
• MassMoves Report Shows Strong Support for Rail Service
• Sixt Rent a Car opens office at Union Station
• Trash Cleared at the Station in Holyoke
• Vermont Rail Action Network Annual dinner
Calendar
Knowledge Corridor Transportation Conference
Springfield Union Station
We. October 18, 2017 | 7:30 am – 12 Noon | Free
Please note that this event is now Sold Out
Live Stream link
http://focusspringfield.com/2017StateOfTheRegion
(live stream starts at 9 am ET)
Updated Knowledge Corridor Conference Program
An updated program (shown below) for this week’s “State of the Region” Transportation Conference has been released.
The most notable update is that Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy will be be attending the conference and making a few brief opening remarks.
Note that this event will be Live Streamed on this link:
http://focusspringfield.com/2017StateOfTheRegion
CTrail Hartford Line Factsheet Released
Source: http://www.nhhsrail.com/pdfs/hartfordline-factsheet-final.pdf
Of particular note:
- Hartford Line fares will be similar to the current fares on CTrail’s Shore Line East service, which operates between New Haven and New London.
- Parking at CTrail stations is expected to be $2/day and $20/month, with free parking on weekends and holidays.
- The CTRail Hartford Line website is reported to be “coming soon.”
MassMoves Report Shows Strong Support for Rail Service
Recently released MassMoves report shows strong support for improved and expanded passenger rail service across the Commonwealth.
“Whatever region people came from, people saw regional rail as a top mobility priority,” said Jim Aloisi, a former state transportation secretary who worked on the Senate study.”¹
“Asked what effect the latest study will have on the Springfield to Boston rail proposal, State Senate President Stan Rosenberg replied, ‘We’ve got to do it. We’ve got to get rail going all over the state.’ “¹
Nine regional MassMoves workshops were held as part of the State Senate’s Commonwealth Conversations listening tour between January and April 2017.
The Western Region meeting, which was held in Springfield on March 28th, attracted an overflow crowd of 104 participants and 14 state senators.
Further Reading
2017 MassMoves Report (no longer available)
¹ “Study finds improving rail service is top transit priority for Western Mass. residents”
By Shira Schoenberg | MassLive.com | September 26, 2017
Sixt Rent a Car opens at Springfield Union Station
Sixt Rent a Car has opened a rental location at Springfield Union Station.
The Sixt office is now open from 8 am – 5 pm Monday thru Friday.
Rental cars can be picked up or dropped of on the ground floor of the Union Station Parking Garage.
Trash Cleared at the Station in Holyoke
We received a report of full trash cans on the station platform in Holyoke — so we reported the issue using the City of Holyoke’s page on SeeClickFix.com. The problem was resolved the same day.
A minor point, yes — but details like this matter. Overflowing trash cans are unsightly and they have the potential of attracting rodents.
Vermont Rail Action Network Annual Dinner
The Vermont Rail Action Network’s (VRAN) annual dinner and award celebration will be held on Wednesday evening November 8th in Rutland.
This is an important rail advocacy event in Vermont and we will be attending the dinner to show our support for VRAN’s ongoing efforts to improve passenger rail service in Vermont — in particular the Vermonter.
Please contact us if you are interested in car pooling to this event from either the Whatley or Greenfield Park and Ride lots.
Posting last updated: October 17, 2017