MASSLIVE (January 23, 2020) — Gov. Charlie Baker, fresh off his State of the State speech that focused on mass transit, will join U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass., and Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno Friday for the ceremonial opening of the final phase of construction at Springfield Union Station.
Handicapped- accessible Platform C opened a few months ago. It’s elevator, the final link, opened unofficially earlier this week.
Baker and Neal will appear with Sarno at 4:15 p.m. Friday.
Neal, who made the now-completed $103 million rehab of Union Station a priority for more than 40 years, said Thursday he’s talking with Baker about the need to include Western Massachusetts and a faster and more frequent an east-west Boston-to-Springfield in any Massachusetts transit plans.
Neal said Connecticut officials, buoyed by better-than -expected passenger numbers on CTrail’s Hartford line, are pushing for better accessibility to Boston as well.
The Hartford Line, launched on June 18, 2018 — transported its one-millionth rider during the busy Thanksgiving travel period in late November, ConnDOT said last week.
Passenger rail use has been growing at a rate of 25 percent year-over-year, according to the Connecticut DOT.
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