Cape Cod Rail, Bridges and Highways

[ritchiew]

There's a broad consensus that supports double tracking the Old Colony Line through Dorchester by shifting the Red Line junction south of Savin Hill. That double tracking is necessary for quality service expansion and improvement to the South Shore and Cape Cod. How likely is it that such a project breaks ground within a decade? What can move the needle in that direction?

I had thought there was something about this in the current Capital Investment Plan, but rereading it, I guess not. It includes:

Rail Modernization Early Actions - Old Colony Double Track (P1209):
Implementation of track improvements to support hourly, all-day, bi-directional service
on the Old Colony Line and South Coast Rail. Includes design for double-tracking on
portions of the Greenbush/Middleboro Lines and track modifications at Middleboro
Station.

That project has been going on a few years, it's still in Pre-Design, and it's budgeted for $10 million. That sounds like double tracking on the branches only, and not the trunk. Maybe someone here knows the specifics of that one? Regardless, it doesn't look like double-tracking in Dorchester is on the 5-year plan.

I've heard (this forum or elsewhere, I don't remember, don't trust me) that part of the holdup was some inter-departmental turf wars: full double-tracking would inevitably mean touching some land or a wall on the Southeast Expressway, and that let MassDOT hold up the project unless they got some expensive road upgrades or highway widening. It is possible that that problem is easier to fix right now, since Eng heads both MBTA and MassDOT.

Moving the RL junction south of Savin Hill would be the most expedient way to double track the Old Colony. It's not ideal in terms of RL train flow (as I believe F-Line previously pointed out elsewhere on aB), but in terms of funding availability and getting it done in the foreseeable future, it's more of a winner than tunneling or other investment-heavy proposals made.

Yeah, I think that's an important part of any solution. But to be clear, that only fixes a part of the single-track problem. There'd still be a bunch of single-tracked trunk through Quincy. I know TransitMatters recommended moving the Red Line junction, and also double tracking at least Quincy Center Station (among tons of other upgrades). I wonder how much the Red Line swap would help on its own.

 

[Charlie_mta]

Moving the RL junction south of Savin Hill would be the most expedient way to double track the Old Colony. It's not ideal in terms of RL train flow (as I believe F-Line previously pointed out elsewhere on aB), but in terms of funding availability and getting it done in the foreseeable future, it's more of a winner than tunneling or other investment-heavy proposals made.

Here's a layout I came up with 15 years ago for a RL junction south of Savin Hill station. I still think its the most expedient way to double track the Old Colony through that stretch, without disturbing the SE Expressway, and without any tunneling required. It would utilize the old RR fly-under that was used by a freight spur.

 

[themissinglink]

MBTA’s Cape Cod train sets July Fourth weekend record, with big jump over last year​

The CapeFLYER, the MBTA’s summertime weekend train to Cape Cod, ferried a record number of passengers from Boston to Hyannis over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, according to the MBTA data.
The 2,285 riders on the CapeFLYER last weekend represented a 31% increase in ridership from last Fourth of July and the highest ridership the train has recorded during the holiday period in its 14-year history, a spokesperson for the T said.
The train typically runs three round trips each summer weekend, one each on Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday. The T adjusted the schedule for the Fourth of July weekend, adding a round-trip journey on Thursday, July 2, and a Hyannis-to-Boston trip Monday afternoon.

 

[themissinglink]

Cape Cod Bridges design hearing July 23 at Bourne High School - AOL

MassDOT to present details on new Sagamore Bridge design and other impacts during construction at a public hearing July 23 in Bourne.

www.aol.com

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation will hold a design public hearing to discuss the Sagamore Bridge replacement project from 6 to 8 p.m. on July 23 at Bourne High School.
MassDOT officials will present details on the proposed Sagamore Bridge design, expected impacts, right-of-way, construction approaches, detours, traffic management during construction and next steps. The public will have an opportunity to comment.
Primary focus of the hearing will be the Sagamore Bridge, but officials also will provide a brief update on the status of the Bourne Bridge, according to a recent press release.
One presentation at the hearing will be of a design MassDOT has created for bicycle and pedestrian travel on the Canal Service Road during construction of the new Sagamore Bridge. The department announced in a June 3 press release that its engineering team is working on concepts to travel around the future construction zone.

 

[stellarfun]

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/07/23/metro/sagamore-bridge-new-renderings-cape-cod-megaproject/

There are other images in the Globe article, but they are not static images.

Renderings released Thursday by state officials offered detailed looks at the two 12-foot travel lanes that will go both directions, plus an additional lane on each side for entering and exiting vehicles and an expanded shoulder.
...
The bridge will also include a barrier-protected pathway for pedestrians and cyclists that will be 14 feet wide at its narrowest point, with a bench at a lookout facing west — toward the sunset.

Currently, they each have just 10-foot-wide travel lanes, no median, no shoulder to accommodate broken-down cars, and only a single 5-foot-wide sidewalk.
...
Paiewonsky said she often sees cyclists walking their bikes on that “skinny” sidewalk. And the cramped, shoulder-less design means that a car with a flat tire can be enough to close an entire lane, creating “traffic havoc,” she added.
...
Just shy of 100 construction firms attended a spring interest session for the bridge, and MassDOT will narrow the field to three to five finalists by September. The state sign-off to break ground is expected in fall 2027, Paiewonsky said..

 

[themissinglink]

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2026/07/23/metro/sagamore-bridge-new-renderings-cape-cod-megaproject/

Here's another image from the article, from a driver's perspective:

 

[stick n move]

A few more

Facebook

www.facebook.com

 

[themissinglink]

CapeFlyer continues to grow in popularity, boasting record 16,000 riders this summer, officials say - The Boston Globe

Ridership of the CapeFlyer has been growing since its introduction in 2013.

www.bostonglobe.com

The CapeFlyer, a seasonal rail service ferrying beachgoers from Boston to Hyannis, broke its ridership record this summer, officials for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority announced on Thursday.
Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, officials said 16,045 passengers traveled on the line, which runs once per day on weekends to and from the Cape.
“This season’s ridership numbers confirm what we’ve known for years – the CapeFLYER has become an essential part of the Cape Cod summer experience,” John Kennedy, administrator of the CCRTA, which jointly operates the line with the MBTA, wrote in a news release.
Pitched as a hassle-free alternative to wrestling with Route 6 traffic, ridership of the CapeFlyer has been growing since its introduction in 2013. Last year the line sold 10,800 tickets and in 2024 it sold 9,700, the Globe reported, outpacing former Cape Cod train services that were shuttered due to low ridership.

 

[OldColony]

Masslive.com September 12 article. Fair use quotes:

More than 16K people ditched their cars and took the train to Cape Cod this summer

"A record number of people took the MBTA’s seasonal train to Cape Cod this summer, pointing to the route’s growing popularity as an alternative to driving over the often traffic-clogged Cape Cod Canal bridges.

"The MBTA said 16,045 passengers rode the CapeFLYER between Memorial Day and Labor Day, a 7% increase from 14,944 riders last year...

"The train provides bicycle storage and has a cafe car serving alcohol, other drinks and snacks.

"The MBTA coordinates CapeFLYER arrival times with the Cape Cod transit officials, allowing passengers to transfer to a bus and continue their journey beyond Hyannis without a car.

"CCRTA buses are free when passengers arrive, Kennedy said."

Full article: https://www.masslive.com/capecod/20...d-took-the-train-to-cape-cod-this-summer.html

Nothing has appeared so far in USA Today's Cape Cod Times.

 

[millerm277]

Masslive.com September 12 article. Fair use quotes:

More than 16K people ditched their cars and took the train to Cape Cod this summer

"A record number of people took the MBTA’s seasonal train to Cape Cod this summer, pointing to the route’s growing popularity as an alternative to driving over the often traffic-clogged Cape Cod Canal bridges.

"The MBTA said 16,045 passengers rode the CapeFLYER between Memorial Day and Labor Day, a 7% increase from 14,944 riders last year...

"The train provides bicycle storage and has a cafe car serving alcohol, other drinks and snacks.

"The MBTA coordinates CapeFLYER arrival times with the Cape Cod transit officials, allowing passengers to transfer to a bus and continue their journey beyond Hyannis without a car.

"CCRTA buses are free when passengers arrive, Kennedy said."

Full article: https://www.masslive.com/capecod/20...d-took-the-train-to-cape-cod-this-summer.html

Nothing has appeared so far in USA Today's Cape Cod Times.

There were also ~7% more weekends between Memorial Day and Labor Day in 2026 vs 2025....

(I support the Cape Flyer, just pointing out that this method of measurement is problematic).