« E. Greenwich man critical after crash in Cranston | Today | Feds give R.I. $212K to monitor beach pollution »

July 14, 2006

Providence-Boston commuter rail service to increase

PROVIDENCE -- The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority announced this morning that commuter service to Boston will expand by the end of the month, increasing the number of weekday trips into the evening and starting weekend service.

Planned for some time, the increase in service is part of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation’s effort to find alternatives to the often-jammed interstate highways from South County north through the Providence area.

The expanded service is the result of a partnership between Massachusetts and Rhode Island, which obtained federal money for the additional service and a new train layover facility in Pawtucket, according to the MBTA.

In Rhode Island, the DOT is also planning to extend commuter service to the transportation center planned near the airport in Warwick, and to a second new station at Wickford Junction, in North Kingstown, by late 2008.

The present 11 weekday trips on the MBTA’s commuter rail line from Boston's South Station to Providence will increase to 15 beginning July 24. Where the last weekday train now leaves South Station at 8:15 p.m., the new service will add three trips, departing each hour from 9 p.m. to midnight.

Where there is no service on weekends, the new schedule will include nine round trips on Saturdays and seven on Sundays, starting July 29.

-- Journal staff writer Bruce Landis, with reports from projo.com staff writer Kate Bramson

Posted by Kate Bramson  at 11:47 AM | Permalink

Comments

Post a comment

Please be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish.

Name:

Email Address:

URL:
Remember Me? YesNo

Comments: (you may use HTML tags for style)