Commuter Rail Service Could Come to Foxborough by 2017

FOXBOROUGH, MA — A proposal to bring MBTA Commuter Rail service to Foxborough made a return at this week’s selectmen meeting.

Town Manager Bill Keegan told the selectmen Tuesday that Chairman David Feldman and himself met with state officials on Nov. 10 to discuss a pilot program for a full-time train station at Gillette Stadium. Unlike the proposals from 2-½ years ago, the MBTA is going to take a more limited approach through a trial service, Keegan said.

Currently, the platform at the stadium is used only for New England Patriots games and some major events.

If approved by the state’s Department of Transportation’s Board of Directors, there will be four round trips from Foxborough to South Station on the weekdays. The trains will not go through Foxborough and will travel across Walpole. Planning to start in late 2017 or early 2018, the pilot program will last 10-11 months, Keegan said,

“During that time, the MBTA will continue to collect data, comments, and information to see if there is a long-term demand,” Keegan said. “This is a learning opportunity and I’m glad the MBTA is taking a more measured approach with their commuter rail service.”

MassDOT and MBTA officials are hoping that a stop at Gillette Stadium could alleviate the parking crunch facing Sharon, Mansfield, and Walpole. On Nov. 14, the Sharon Board of Selectmen wrote a letter of support for the project, hoping that regular service and additional parking in Foxborough could ease the pressure in Sharon.

The Kraft Group and Schneider Electric both backed the plan, Keegan said, with Schneider Electric indicating that with a large amount of turnover expected in the next five years due top retirements, the train service could help as a recruitment tool.

The MassDOT Board of Directors intended on voting on the service at their Nov. 21 meeting, but the vote will be delayed at the request of the selectmen, who want more time to study the issue.

A presentation on the pilot program is scheduled for the next selectmen meeting.

Image: file photo