New Study Solicited by Congressman Moulton Finds Massive Economic Benefits to Building the “Rail Link”

SALEM, MA – According to new research released today by Congressman Seth Moulton, the North South Rail Link (the “Rail Link”) will create an estimated $30 billion in benefits for the Commonwealth  – a return on investment of more than three times the cost of the project itself. 

The findings are part of a comprehensive study requested by Congressman Moulton and conducted by the Harvard Kennedy School. While many have studied the costs of the Rail Link, this is the first time a research team has quantified its benefits. 

The study compared the costs and benefits of the Rail Link to the state’s current plan to expand South Station. The research found that simply expanding South Station would drive a significantly smaller return on investment than building the Rail Link. 

In an overview of the findings published today, Moulton writes: “The Rail Link is the single most important project for transportation in Massachusetts. It makes regional rail not just possible but successful. It does more to boost housing than any housing bill. And it has huge benefits for climate and racial justice in historically forgotten communities. Until we build the Rail Link, we won’t just be stuck in traffic, we’ll be stuck in the past. The question is no longer “Can we afford to build the link?” but “Can we afford not to?”

The Rail Link is a less than 3 mile tunnel that would finally unify Massachusetts: enabling electric Regional Rail for all of Eastern Massachusetts, frequent service to Springfield, Pittsfield, and Albany, transfers with MBTA rapid-transit, and Amtrak service from Maine to New York. 

Major benefits of building the Rail Link: 

• $28-31 billion in benefits for Massachusetts at a cost of $7.9 billion. That’s a return on investment three times the cost of the project. In contrast, the state’s plan to expand South Station would only have an estimated $3 billion in net benefits, leaving $24 billion in undiscovered benefits on the table.
• Quadruples commuter rail ridership to an estimated 86 million new rides on the commuter rail each year. 
• Generates $7 billion in additional fares over 20 years. 
• Saves $1.1 billion in carbon costs 
• Creates new access to 479,000 jobs. 
• Generates $5.8 - 8.7 billion in new, transit-oriented development. 
• Incentivizes 150,000 new housing units over 20 years, more than 10 times the number of units permitted statewide in 2023.

This new analysis demonstrates the significant regional benefits of the Rail Link when combined with regional rail. The Rail Link would eliminate current capacity constraints at North and South Stations and supercharge access to our employment hubs from across Massachusetts,” said Jarred Johnson, CEO of TransitMatters. “Our Commonwealth faces intertwined housing, transportation, and climate crises, but each of these crises is also an opportunity. It's time to start making generational investments like the Rail Link to set our Commonwealth on the path to inclusive, sustainable growth for the long term.”

“With the growing transportation crisis across Massachusetts, elected officials and transportation officials need to be bold and invest in regional solutions,” said State Senator Jamie Eldridge (D-Marlborough). “I am deeply grateful to Congressman Seth Moulton for his continued leadership on connecting the North and South train networks, and this Harvard Kennedy School report underscores that Massachusetts’ best transportation investment is the North South Rail Link, with the highest return on the transit project, unlocking more economic development, housing and leisure time for residents, versus continued gridlock.”

“The North-South Rail Link is an investment that will repay huge dividends for the Commonwealth, and for the entire New England Region. Connecting North and South stations will eliminate a transportation bottleneck that has caused congestion for decades, and make it possible for the rail system to expand economic opportunities.  It’s a real win-win for everyone,” said Linda Bilmes, Daniel Patrick Moynihan Chair in Public Policy and Public Finance, Harvard Kennedy School. 

The Harvard Kennedy School examined the costs and benefits of the Rail Link. The benefits were calculated across multiple categories, including ridership growth, modeshift from cars to trains, job access, and real estate development opportunities enabled by the project.