The Vermont Agency of Transportation and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation will air its findings on a study to expand regional intercity passenger rail service at a public meeting held Thursday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m. at Hotel Coolidge on 39 South Main Street in White River Junction, Vt.
The study, known as the Northern New England Intercity Rail Initiative (NNEIRI), examined the potential to expand passenger rail service to serve large and small communities along a 470-mile corridor across New England, Quebec, and New York. The proposed service would provide regional passenger train services. Covering longer distances than commuter trains, these trains would connect to a large network of metropolitan areas and small towns.
After examining the needs in the region and possible service options, the study team developed a cost-effective plan for increasing services along the corridor to meet passenger demand over the next 20 years. Proposed service improvements include one roundtrip train between Montreal and New Haven, one roundtrip train between Montreal and Boston. Each train would run local service, stopping at each station, with speed improvements up to 79 m.p.h.
