Kraft Group and MBTA Reach Agreement on Commuter Rail Stop

The Kraft Group and MBTA have come to an agreement regarding a possible full-time commuter rail stop to be named Foxborough - Patriot Place at Gillette Stadium.

Town Manager Bill Keegan announced on Tuesday that the two groups recently signed a memorandum of agreement, highlighting the responsibilities both sides will have if Foxborough receives commuter rail service.

According the agreement, dated Jan. 5, service is being brought to the area based off the results of studies in 2010 and 2011 that have indicated a need for additional commuter rail service in the region.

As expected, the Kraft Group will at its sole cost and expense, establish, operate, and maintain a parking lot with at least 500 parking spaces.

The update comes days after Keegan received comments from the department of transportation regarding questions the town had on the issue.

Board members, who expressed concern for the project last year, are now wondering what their options are with the project apparently moving forward. Selectman Jim DeVellis, who was not present at the meeting, informed Keegan that he would like to see board engage special counsel to look at the agreement and to make sure that the town has no authority and check to see if there any where permitting processes that were missed.

Selectman Ginny Coppola said she was worried about the proposed maintenance facility that may be built on the property and backs up to a residential area of North Street. The MBTA will have five years to build the facility on donated land before it reverts back to the Kraft Group. According to Keegan, there is little the town can do in terms to zoning since the MBTA is exempt from local zoning by-laws.

“There are a lot of areas where the interests of the residents of Foxboro are going to be impacted so we need to look out for that,” Selectman John Gray said.

If the MBTA follows through on their plan to provide commuter rail service to Foxborough, there will be five roundtrips on the weekday, with commuters traveling through Walpole to the Fairmont line before arriving at the Back Bay station in Boston.

Efforts to bring a commuter rail stop in Foxborough goes back years but efforts by the the Department of Transportation to buy the Framingham Secondary line has rekindled interest to bring regular train service to Foxborough.

Currently, the MBTA only runs trains to the Foxborough platform during Patriots games and some special events.

Commuter rail service in Foxborough is expected to start in December 2016.

Click here to read the full memorandum of agreement between the MBTA and the Kraft Group.