US Transport Secretary Ray LaHood today announced an award to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) for 32.5 million US dollars to expand and enhance the historic South Station in Boston. The station currently operates beyond its capacity and expects an estimated 50 percent increase in high-speed intercity passenger rail travel in the coming years along the Northeast Corridor, making expansion necessary.

“These dollars will allow South Station to expand and meet the needs of the travelling public,” said Secretary LaHood. “Revitalising and modernising South Station is not only crucial to accommodating projected population growth; it will create jobs and grow the region’s economy.”

South Station offers travellers access to Amtrak’s high-speed Acela service as well as Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) commuter rail, intercity bus, rapid transit and bus rapid transit services, including direct service to Boston Logan International Airport. MassDOT will contribute 10.5 million US dollars to this phase of the project.

“This is not only a great project for Boston’s MBTA commuters, but for all rail travellers in New England,” said Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph C. Szabo. “Amtrak’s Acela, Northeast Regional, Downeaster and Lake Shore Limited all utilise South Station, handling more than 1.3 million passengers in 2010.”

Thirty-two states across the US and the District of Columbia are currently laying the foundation for high-speed rail corridors to link Americans with faster and more energy-efficient travel options. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and annual appropriations have provided 10.1 billion US dollars to put America on track towards providing new and expanded rail access to communities and improving the reliability, speed, and frequency of existing service. Of that, more than 7.4 billion US dollars has been obligated to date.

(Source: US Department of Transportation)