The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has received a $130 million federal grant to modernize rail infrastructure around Springfield Union Station. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) awarded the funding under its Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program. The investment will support the Springfield Hub Modernization Project, a key component of the state’s plans to expand passenger rail services.
The project will reconfigure and upgrade rail tracks, signals, and supporting infrastructure in the Springfield area. The work will address existing capacity constraints and allow passenger and freight trains to move through the rail hub more efficiently. Amtrak’s Vermonter and Valley Flyer services are expected to benefit from fewer delays and greater scheduling flexibility.
The upgrades also form part of Massachusetts’ longer-term plans to establish West-East Rail connections between Boston, Springfield, and Albany. The state is targeting 2030 for the introduction of two daily Amtrak round trips on the Boston–Springfield–New Haven Inland Route. Improvements at Springfield will help accommodate additional passenger services as the regional network expands.
MassDOT has previously secured $108 million for Inland Route improvements and $36.8 million to advance the design of the Springfield Area Track Reconfiguration Project. A separate $3.5 million FRA grant is supporting planning for passenger rail service between Boston and Albany. MassDOT is working with Amtrak and freight rail operator CSX as it advances these projects.