South Coast Rail

The South Coast Rail (SCR) project is currently the largest in the Commonwealth. Involving a multitude of stakeholders, it’s also one of the more complex undertakings to date by the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA). For help with the project, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and the MBTA looked to VHB to deliver a smooth transition from permitting, planning, and design to construction and revenue service. The project includes 56 miles of track and railbed; signals and communications; 10 new stations, including two terminal stations and two rehabilitated stations; 43 at-grade crossings; more than 50 bridges; layover facilities; and utilities, including miles of retaining wall and drainage structures. VHB has been supporting MassDOT and the MBTA on this project for over a decade—most recently working to advance the project through the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) permit acquisition process by bringing all parties to agreement on six alternatives. Once completed, the project will restore passenger rail transportation from South Station in Boston to 31 South Coast communities in southern Massachusetts.