Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

ToadScoper OP t1_j07tpxo wrote

Personally, I think it's absolutely crazy that within the same amount of time it took RIDOT to build a single station, MassDOT has constructed most of South Coast Rail which includes miles of new track and six new stations...

40

FAYCSB t1_j0937uq wrote

How is Mass doing with the South Attleboro train station?

19

TheSausageFattener t1_j0bfix9 wrote

From what Ive read they opted to build an entirely new, modern station at South Attleboro rather than do a patch repair on the catwalk. Id imagine Pawtucket C/F is part of the reason because many of the homes closest to SA are in RI.

3

FAYCSB t1_j0bjemh wrote

The issue is moe how long they left the station in disrepair. The stairs on either side of the tracks were “temporarily closed” for at least 8 years. Interesting that the whole thing was only deemed unsafe once the station wasn’t really needed anymore, due to the pandemic.

Does Pawtucket/CF have parking?

4

TheSausageFattener t1_j0bm599 wrote

Quite a bit, but not nearly as much as SA since that thing is a glorified parking lot.

2

ToadScoper OP t1_j0cup0w wrote

Agreed, SA station was always quite atrocious but did serve a rider base. Hopefully when it’s rebuilt they could zone some of the area around it for denser mixed-used developments so that it’s not purely a antiquated park and ride

1

Proof-Variation7005 t1_j07y6l2 wrote

It's a bit disingenuous to say the same amount of time. The South Coast rail project had 10+ years of planning before breaking ground over 20 years before the groundbreaking occurred for this station.

It's dumb that it took a relatively simple idea 15+ years to go from "hey, what about this" to being something with tangible progress.

6

ToadScoper OP t1_j080ia4 wrote

Unfortunately, that's the nature of most rail projects in the US, where unsustainable highway infrastructure is prioritized while passenger rail is given the short end of the stick...

12