themissinglink
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I went digging through the Stoughton Alternative EIS and found the Pine Swamp Trestle Memorandum, similar to the Hockomock Trestle Memorandum. Constructing a single track trestle through Pine swamp (similar to the proposed trestle through Hockomock swamp) was considered but ultimately rejected back in 2013.
The document compares Pine swamp to Hockomock swamp with regards to their environmental sensitivity, and explains as to why they felt a trestle through Hockomock swamp was necessary but one through Pine swamp was not.
The trestle through Pine swamp was proposed to cost $50 million, as opposed to the $5 million cost of rehabilitating the existing embankment.
The document compares Pine swamp to Hockomock swamp with regards to their environmental sensitivity, and explains as to why they felt a trestle through Hockomock swamp was necessary but one through Pine swamp was not.
Pine Swamp is a small (relative to the Hockomock) wetland ecosystem that is not recognized as an ACEC or Important Bird Area. It does not have extensive vernal pool complexes adjacent to the existing elevated embankment or track bed, and does not support state-listed salamanders or turtles. The only state-listed species present is a butterfly (Hessel’s hairstreak). The area immediately adjacent to the existing embankment is a power line where invasive species (Phragmites) have become established.
It is useful to compare Pine Swamp with the Hockomock Swamp to establish the justification for the extraordinary expense of an elevated trestle structure, at more than ten times the cost of at-grade rail. The South Coast Rail Project includes a 1.8-mile trestle through the Hockomock Swamp. The decision to elevate the track in the Hockomock Swamp was based on discussions with the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program staff during the prior MEPA process, and was an important mitigation commitment made in the 2002 FEIR and upheld by MassDOT in the current design for impacts on state-listed rare species.
The trestle through Pine swamp was proposed to cost $50 million, as opposed to the $5 million cost of rehabilitating the existing embankment.