Phase 1 Early Action Construction
- Culvert Replacements and Related Track Work – substantially complete
- Wetland Construction – substantially complete
- Tarkiln Hill Road Grade Crossing Improvements – substantially complete
- Four Bridge Replacements – substantially complete
Culvert Replacements Update
Installed 46 culverts as part of the drainage system. Constructed five wetland mitigation areas and began monitoring their success.
Four Bridge Replacements Update
Work has been completed for the for the bridge replacements and related track work at the North and South Cotley railroad bridges in Berkley, the Cedar Swamp railroad bridge in Lakeville, and the Fall Brook railroad bridge in Freetown.
Early Action Building Demolition Update
MBTA's contractor has completed the following early action building demolition work to prepare for follow-on Phase 1 station and Main Line construction.
The former structures at 1141 County St., Taunton; 15 Richmond Road, Freetown; 2804 North Main Street, 825 Davol St., and 61 Pearce St., Fall River; 3 Adams Lane, Berkley; 161 South Main Street and 52 West Grove Street, Middleborough; 91 Old Colony Avenue, Taunton; 2 and 6 Wye Street in Berkley; and 387 Church Street, New Bedford, have been demolished.
Phase 1 Main Line Construction Update
The MBTA Fiscal and Management Control Board (FMCB) approved the first major construction contract to build the Fall River Secondary on May 11, 2020. The second package, which includes the New Bedford Main Line, the Middleborough Secondary, and the signal system for the entire Phase 1 corridor, was approved on August 24, 2020. Both elements of Phase 1 construction are currently underway.
South Coast Rail and Mass Coastal Railroad Evening Freight Operations for 2023
The South Coast Rail (SCR) team, along with freight operator Mass Coastal Railroad (MCRR), are restarting the evening freight operations program that has been implemented over the past two years of the project to separate SCR construction activities from the MCRR freight operations on the Fall River Secondary and New Bedford Main Line (see SCR project map for location of railroad lines).
Beginning Monday, April 3 through the 2023 construction season, MCRR will move daily freight operations to evenings. During this period, abutters to these railroad lines from Taunton to Fall River and New Bedford can anticipate trains during weekday evenings between 5:00 PM and 12:00 AM.
This will not change the current daily operations on the Middleborough Secondary Line. Trains will continue to run during the daytime, and construction activities will carry on in coordination with freight train movements along that line.
New Bedford: Pedestrian Bridge Work
Construction continues for the new pedestrian bridge across Route 18 and Acushnet Avenue connecting to the New Bedford Station.
Location of work:
- Purchase Street (between Pearl Street and Willis Street)
- Near the MassHire Greater New Bedford Career Center (618 Acushnet Ave)
Dates/Hours of Work:
- Weekdays, 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM
To accommodate the construction of the west side plaza of the bridge, there will be no street parking on the east side of Purchase Street between Pearl Street and Willis Street.
Assonet: Overnight Work, Lane Closures and Detour for Railroad Crossing Work at Richmond Road
Location of work:
- Overnight work, lane closures and detour at Richmond Road/Route 79 (at Forge Road) railroad grade crossing in Assonet
Dates/Hours of Work:
- Lane closures and detour (see map below) continue through October 1
- Overnight work (roadway striping) Saturday, September 30, 5:00 PM to 3:00 AM
Richmond Road between Walnut Street and Forge Road in Assonet will be closed during daytime hours. All through traffic will be routed to Forge Road in Assonet. Police details will allow local traffic access only on Richmond Road.
Map of detour of Richmond Road between Walnut Street and Forge Road. Through traffic will be routed to Forge Road.
New Bedford: Road and Traffic Signal Work along Church Street and at the Intersection of Nash Road
Location of work:
- Traffic signal and roadway work along Church Street between Tarklin Hill Road and Irvington Street and at the intersection of Church Street and Nash Road in New Bedford
Dates/Hours of Work:
- Single-lane closures on Church Street and/or Nash Road on weekdays (with weekend work as necessary), 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM
This work will help to connect South Coast Rail to the community and improve pedestrian and vehicular access around Church Street station. The map below shows the sites for this and upcoming road and sidewalk work.
Middleborough, Lakeville, Raynham, Taunton, Freetown, Fall River, and New Bedford: Signal System Installations and Testing
Installations and testing for the railroad signal system for the entire South Coast Rail Phase 1 is ongoing along the railroad right-of-way and at railroad crossings. Please be advised that during this work, signals may be disabled. In those instances, railroad workers known as flaggers will be in place to safely direct train traffic through crossings, and drivers should heed the flaggers' directions.
In the weeks ahead, the project will be continuing to run test trains along the South Coast Rail lines to make sure the new signal systems are properly working. Abutters to the railroad may notice the increased train traffic and crossing signal usage.
Location of work:
- Signal work along the railroad right-of-way and crossings on the Middleborough Secondary Line (Middleborough, Lakeville, Raynham, Taunton), the Fall River Secondary Line (Berkley, Assonet, Fall River), and the New Bedford Main Line (Taunton, Berkley, Lakeville, Freetown, New Bedford)
Dates/Hours of Work:
- Typically, Monday through Sunday, 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Middleborough Station Overnight Track Work
Location of work:
- Track work in the area of the new Middleborough Station site (161 South Main Street, Middleborough)
Dates/Hours of Work:
- Overnight work possible Friday, September 29 and Saturday, September 30, 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM
Middleborough, Lakeville, Taunton, Freetown, and New Bedford: Vegetation Clearing at Railroad Crossings
Starting in September and into the fall, crews will be clearing vegetation along the railroad right of way and the roadways approaching railroad crossings across the South Coast Rail lines. This work is to improve sightline visibility for both trains and automobiles at the crossings.
Middleborough, Lakeville, Raynham, Taunton: Extended Hours Track Work along the Middleborough Secondary Line
Location of work:
- Track work along the Middleborough Secondary Line railroad right-of-way at locations between the new Middleborough Station site and Route 140 in Taunton (includes Middleborough, Lakeville, Raynham, Taunton)
Dates/Hours of Work:
- Continuing into September, there will be extended hours of work, Friday to Sunday, 6:00 AM up to 8:00 PM
Berkley: Railroad Access at Mill Street for Signal Work
Residents of Mill Street in Berkley may notice an increase in frequency and volume of traffic as crews performing South Coast Rail signal work will be accessing the railroad right-of-way and work staging area at the end of the street.
Location of work:
- Access to railroad right-of-way at Mill Street in Berkley
Dates/Hours of Work:
- Typically, Monday through Friday (with weekend work as necessary), 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Fall River: Road and Traffic Signal Work at the Intersection of President Avenue and North Main Street
Location of work:
- Traffic signal and roadway work continues at the intersection of President Avenue and North Main Street in Fall River
Dates/Hours of Work:
- Single-lane closures on President Avenue and/or North Main Street on weekdays (with weekend work as necessary), 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM
Middleborough: Roadwork and Single-lane Closures on Route 28 (Grove Street)
Location of work:
- Sidewalk work at the future pedestrian crossing of Route 28 (Grove Street) between the railroad overpasses
Dates/Hours of Work:
- Possible single-lane closures on Route 28 on weekdays (with weekend work as necessary), 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM
Taunton: Traffic Signal and Curb Work at the Route 140 (County Street) Intersection with Taunton Depot Drive
Location of work:
- Taunton Depot Drive intersection with Route 140 (County Street)
Dates/Hours of Work:
- Possible weekdays (with weekend work as necessary), 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM
Fence Installation: Middleborough, Lakeville, Raynham, Taunton, Freetown, Berkley, New Bedford
Location of work:
- Fence installation along the Middleborough Secondary Line railroad right-of-way at locations between Route 140 in Taunton and the new Middleborough Station site (161 South Main Street, Middleborough)
- Fence installation along the New Bedford Main Line railroad right-of-way at locations between the East Taunton Station site (1141 County Street) in Taunton and the New Bedford Station Site (Acushnet Avenue at Whale’s Tooth Parking Lot) in New Bedford
Dates/Hours of Work: Monday through Sunday, 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM
The MBTA’s contractor is installing fences at locations along the Middleborough Secondary Line, New Bedford Main Line, and Fall River Secondary Line railroad right of way.
Generally, fences are placed in areas where it will enhance safety and minimize trespassing on the railroad right-of-way. Abutters to the railroad may see orange stakes marking survey boundaries and will notice crews working in the railroad right-of-way to install these fences. In some locations limited tree and brush clearing may be needed to facilitate this work. The typical type of MBTA fence that will be installed is a 6-foot-tall chain link fence. Fences will be set on the MBTA’s property line.
Daytime Work on Middleborough Secondary and New Bedford Main Line
Locations of Work:
- New Middleborough Station site, 161 South Main Street, Middleborough
- East Taunton Station site, 1141 County Street, Taunton
- Wamsutta Layover Facility site, 217 Herman Melville Boulevard, New Bedford
- Church Street Station site, 387 Church Street, New Bedford
- New Bedford Station Site, Acushnet Avenue (at Whale's Tooth Parking Lot), New Bedford
- Middleborough Secondary and New Bedford Main Line right-of-way
Dates/Hours of Work:
- Monday through Sunday, 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Please note that although regular daytime construction hours begin at 7:00 AM, abutters may notice crews arriving at the construction sites prior to this time.
Construction is ongoing at station and layover sites and along the railroad right-of-way from Middleborough to New Bedford.
Daytime Work on Fall River Secondary
Locations of Work:
- Freetown Station site, 153 South Main Street, Assonet
- Weaver's Cove Layover Facility, 2680 North Main Street, Fall River
- Fall River Depot site, 825 Davol Street, Fall River
- Fall River Secondary Line railroad right-of-way
Dates/Hours of Work:
- Monday through Sunday, 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Please note that although regular daytime hours begin at 7:00 AM, abutters may notice crews arriving at the sites prior to this time.
Signal work is ongoing at station and layover sites and along the railroad right-of-way from Berkley to Fall River.
Berkley: Railroad Access at Cotley Street
Location of Work:
- Cotley Street in Berkley
Dates/Hours of Work:
- Please note that the contractor will be using Cotley Street to access the right-of-way for various work activities. This access will be primarily used during the daytime (7:00 AM-7:00 PM) but will also be used 24-hours/day during some activities.
Berkley: Railroad Work at Myricks Street
Location of Work:
- Myricks Street in Berkley
Dates/Hours of Work:
- Typically, Monday through Saturday (with Sunday work as necessary), 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Please note that although regular daytime construction hours begin at 7:00 AM, abutters may notice crews arriving at the construction sites prior to this time.
Daytime Transportation of Soils to Freetown
Please note that soils excavated from the railroad right-of-way and roadway during the above work are typically transported during the day by truck to designated project sites.
Dates/Hours of Work:
- Regular daytime hours 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Ongoing MBTA work may be disruptive to residents. Crews are using various pieces of heavy equipment and trucks along the railroad right-of-way. While the project will seek to minimize construction-related impacts to communities, low to moderate noise levels and vibrations will be generated. In addition, work lights will be used during overnight hours.
The railroad right-of-way is an active construction zone and freight railroad. Only authorized personnel are allowed on the railroad right-of-way - trespassing is illegal. For your own safety, never walk on or cross the tracks.
If you would like to report a construction-related issue on the South Coast Rail project, please call the hotline at (617) 222-4099. The hotline will be answered Monday-Friday, between 7:00 AM and 3:30 PM (except holidays). All voicemails left outside of these hours are received the following 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM weekday shift. The project will respond to all complaints.