East-West Passenger Rail (Massachusetts)

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This article is about a proposed rail service in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. For the proposed railway line between Oxford and Cambridge, see East West Rail. For other uses, see East West Line.
East-West Rail
View of Pittsfield Scelsi ITC Transit and Rail Station; it is a proposed stop for East-West Rail
Overview
Service typeIntercity rail
StatusProposed/preliminary design
LocaleMassachusetts
PredecessorNew England States, Bay State
Current operator(s)Amtrak (Proposed)
Former operator(s)Amtrak, Penn Central, Boston and Albany Railroad
Route
TerminiSouth Station
Albany
Stops8
Distance travelled171 miles (275 km)
Average journey time
  • 2.49 hours (minimum proposed time)
  • 3.09 hours (maximum proposed time)
Line(s) usedBoston and Albany Mainline, Framingham/Worcester Line
Technical
Rolling stockAmfleet (Proposed)
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Operating speed80 miles per hour (130 km/h) (max speed)[1]
Track owner(s)Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MassDOT), CSX
Route map
Legend
Lake Shore Limited, Empire Service,
Maple Leaf, Ethan Allen Express
171 mi
275 km
 Albany–Rensselaer
Amtrak
Empire Corridor to New York
NY
MA
122 mi
196 km
 Pittsfield
Amtrak
98 mi
158 km
 Chester
New Haven–Springfield Line
Connecticut River Line
80 mi
129 km
 Springfield enlarge…
Amtrak Hartford Line
67 mi
108 km
 Palmer
44 mi
71 km
 Worcester
2.5 mi
4 km
 Lansdowne
Northeast Corridor to New York
1.2 mi
1.9 km
 Boston Back Bay
Northeast Corridor
0 mi
 Boston South Station
Northeast Corridor
This diagram:

East-West Rail (also referred to as West-East Rail) is a proposed intercity passenger rail project that would provide new service between Boston and western Massachusetts, with stops including Worcester, Palmer, Springfield, Pittsfield, and Amtrak's Albany–Rensselaer station in New York. The 171-mile (275 km) route between Boston and Albany would use the former mainline of the Boston and Albany Railroad, which is now owned by the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority and CSX Transportation.

Current passenger rail services on the corridor are the MBTA Framingham/Worcester Line — which operates between Boston and Worcester — and Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited, which operates between Boston South Station and Albany–Rensselaer station once-a-day in each direction. East-West Rail is intended to increase the speed and frequency of service on the corridor.

Under pressure from multiple constituencies in western Massachusetts—including elected officials, advocates and citizens—the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) moved forward with an East-West Rail study in 2018.[2] Boston-area political leaders see East-West Rail as a solution to workforce and housing issues, while Western Massachusetts officials see expanded rail service as a link to Boston's growing economy.[3]

As proposed, the service would operate as a state-sponsored Amtrak route with push-pull train sets powered by diesel locomotives.[4][5] MassDOT would provide oversight for the service.[6][7][8][9] Preliminary design work for a proposed new station in Palmer is underway.[10] Additionally, local officials in the town Chester and the city of Westfield have expressed interest in establishing stations in their communities as well.[11][12]

As of 2024, East-West Rail service development is in the preliminary planning stage; construction on the preliminary Inland Route (Boston-Springfield Northeast Regional extension) phase of project is expected to begin by Spring 2027.[13] While East-West Rail has typically been discussed in relation to establishing frequent services between Boston and Albany, initial funding for the project only covers the Inland Route phase. Preliminary service is projected for implementation in 2029, with full Boston-Albany service by 2045.[14][15]

History[edit]

Previous services[edit]

1837 Western Railroad map

The Boston and Worcester Railroad was chartered June 23, 1831 and construction began in August 1832. The line opened in sections: to West Newton on April 16, 1834; to Wellesley on July 3; to Ashland on September 20; to Westborough in November 1834; and the full length to Worcester on July 4, 1835.[16] The Western Railroad was chartered February 15, 1833 and incorporated March 15, 1833 to connect the B&W to the Hudson and Berkshire Railroad at the New York state line. Construction began in 1837, and the Eastern Division to the Connecticut River in Springfield opened on October 1, 1839. The Western Division, through the Berkshire Hills, opened in sections from both ends from the state line to Pittsfield May 4, 1841, West Springfield to Chester May 24, 1841, Springfield to West Springfield (across the Connecticut River) July 4, 1841, Pittsfield to "Summit" August 9, 1841, and Chester to Summit September 13, 1841.[17]

View of viaduct built by the B&A in Chester, Massachusetts

In 1870, the east–west line operators were consolidated into the Boston and Albany Railroad (B&A). The New York Central and Hudson River Railroad leased the B&A for 99 years from July 1, 1900. This lease passed to the New York Central Railroad (NYC) in 1914; throughout this, the B&A kept its own branding in the public eye. At its peak in 1912, the B&A operated 12 Boston-Albany round trips, one Boston-Pittsfield round trip, and as many as 10 Pittsfield-North Adams round trips.[16] The NYC merged into Penn Central on February 1, 1968. By the early part of the 20th century, commuter rail service was provided east of Worcester, with intercity rail continuing on west.[18] During the 1940s period of peak passenger volume, the New Haven Railroad (with the cooperation of the New York Central) ran several Boston-New York City trains along the route to Worcester and Springfield and then south. The service included an overnight train with sleeping car service. The last passenger service to run on the line before the creation of Amtrak was an unnamed Chicago-bound successor to the New York Central's New England States on April 30, 1971.[19][20]

Decline[edit]

Pittsfield Union Station was demolished in the 1960s

The rise of automobile ownership and the construction of the I-90/Massachusetts Turnpike drastically reduced passenger demand on the Boston-Pittsfield corridor. B&A service was also cut due to financial problems in the late 1930s and again after World War II; by 1950, Pittsfield was served by eight Boston-Albany round trips per day.[21] On April 24, 1960, stops west of Framingham except for Worcester, Palmer, Springfield, and Pittsfield were closed; Boston-Albany service via Pittsfield was reduced to just 3.5 daily round trips.[21]

The NYC merged into the Penn Central Railroad on February 1, 1968, followed by the New Haven Railroad on December 31.[22] Penn Central continued to run the daily Boston-Albany train (the former, nameless New England States) through Pittsfield until April 30, 1971.

The intercity trips were taken over by Amtrak on May 1, 1971. Service between Worcester and Albany along the Boston and Albany Railroad route was discontinued, leaving Pittsfield with no passenger rail service for the first time in 130 years.[23] Two weeks after taking over service, Amtrak added the Boston-New Haven Bay State, which restored service as far west as Springfield; however, this service proved unpopular and was discontinued on March 1, 1975.[21] The MBTA began subsidizing Penn Central's commuter rail service between Boston and Framingham in January 1973. On January 27, 1973, the MBTA acquired the line east of Framingham. Penn Central service beyond Framingham was discontinued October 27, 1975, as the state did not subsidize it. In response, Amtrak revived the New York-Chicago Lake Shore Limited on October 31, 1975, with a new section running on the Boston-Albany mainline and thus restoring service between Pittsfield and Boston.[21]

Vermonter passing the defunct Palmer Union Station in 1997

Conrail took over Penn Central on April 1, 1976. On September 26, 1994, some rush hour trains started to serve Worcester on Conrail trackage (which became CSX trackage on June 1, 1999), extending to other times beginning on December 14, 1996.[24] Prior to 2004, select Northeast Regional trains would offer a Springfield-Boston service via the so-called Inland Route. This route traveled northward from New Haven through central Connecticut and western Massachusetts, passing through Hartford and Springfield, then turned eastward and through Worcester and Framingham en route to South Station. With the electrification of the Northeast Corridor in 2000, Springfield–Boston service along the slower Inland Route (2:05 hours longer from Boston–New York City) was gradually reduced, with the last train discontinued in 2004.[4] The MBTA acquired the rest of the line from Framingham to Worcester as part of an agreement announced in 2009.[25] A 2012 agreement transferred ownership and control of the corridor from CSX to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts between Worcester and South Station in Boston .

View of the restored Springfield Union Station

Current services[edit]

CSX owns the former B&A mainline between Worcester to Pittsfield and operates freight services on the entire corridor within Massachusetts. The mainline is divided into two CSX subdivisions: the Boston Subdivision runs from Back Bay to Wilbraham (CSX has operating rights on the MBTA-owned segments) while the Berkshire Subdivision runs from Wilbraham to Schodack, New York.[26]

Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited provides a single round trip per day with stops at Pittsfield, Springfield, Worcester and Boston within the state of Massachusetts. The MBTA operates commuter services between South Station and Worcester Union as the Framingham/Worcester line. Springfield Union Station remains a major hub for New England services including the Valley Flyer, Vermonter, Northeast Regional, Amtrak's Hartford Line and CTrail's Hartford Line. Until 2022, Pittsfield was only serviced by Lake Shore Limited trains; the Berkshire Flyer was introduced in the summer of 2022 as a seasonal weekend-only New York City-Pittsfield extension of Amtrak's Empire Service. The service is funded by the Massachusetts Senate to facilitate tourism to the Berkshires.[27]

Current route limitations[edit]

CSX freight passing Worcester Union Station

There are several factors that have limited the expansion of east-to-west passenger services on the Pittsfield-Boston corridor. Unlike the MBTA commuter rail network, the state of Massachusetts does not own the trackage between Pittsfield and Worcester; arrangements would have to be made with CSX in order to run more passenger trains on the line. Passenger and freight shared-use rail operations create challenges for scheduling, dispatch, and the need for suitable track infrastructure and signal equipment; passenger services that operate on freight rail lines often require investment to install some combination of double-tracking, passing sidings, new track, and higher-capacity signal systems. Amtrak has the right to provide passenger service on freight-owned lines while the host railroad has the right to set the terms for an operating agreement; however, the MBTA and MassDOT are not eligible to directly utilize these legal provisions.[4]

Much of the former double-track between Worcester and Pittsfield had been removed during the 1980s. The 52-mile Springfield to Pittsfield segment of the corridor includes 13.5 miles of single track rail alignment and the Worcester to Springfield segment includes mostly single-track rail alignment, with 33 miles of single track and only 21 miles of double-track. In order to facilitate more frequent rail operations, most of the former double-tracked sections would have to be restored. Signaling and communication implementation also presents an issue- CSX has implemented Interoperable Electronic Train Management System (I-ETMS) between Pittsfield and Worcester, while the MBTA uses the Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System (ACSES) between Worcester and Boston. For any trains operating in both CSX and MBTA jurisdictions, locomotives will need both systems to safely operate.[5]

East-west service studies[edit]

Northern New England Intercity Rail Initiative Study (2013-2016)[edit]

In 2016 the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Vermont Agency of Transportation, in coordination with the Connecticut Department of Transportation, completed a three-year feasibility and planning study known as the Northern New England Intercity Rail Initiative. The lead consultant for the study was HDR Engineering. The firm AECOM was the primary sub-consultant.[28] The study recommended a Boston-to-Springfield-to-New Haven intercity route with a maximum speed of 79 miles-per-hour. Despite this, the proposal was never pursued, and funding for the project was never allocated.

East-West Passenger Rail Study (2018-2021)[edit]

In January 2021, MassDOT completed a two-year study, known as the East-West Passenger Rail Study, that examined the feasibility of passenger rail service from Boston to Springfield and Pittsfield. Original considerations for an East-West Rail corridor considered either using the Boston and Albany mainline or the construction of a brand new mainline that would parallel the Mass Pike.[4] The study preferred the Boston and Albany mainline route and recommended three out of six possible build alternatives which recommended between seven and nine new round-trip trains between Boston, Springfield and Pittsfield on this corridor.[29] Proposed line upgrades include double tracking, signaling upgrades and rail upgrades to facilitate higher speeds.[30] Each of the three build alternatives call for stations in Palmer and Chester. Chester and Palmer had train stations along the rail line in the past, but those are no longer extant and would require new stations. Service delivery indicates diesel push-pull operations and call for top speeds of either 60 or 109 miles per hour. Other build alternatives considered a Springfield-Boston route with bus transfers to Pittsfield and high-speed rail; however, these options were ruled out.[5]

  • Final Alternative 3 would provide direct passenger rail service between Pittsfield and Boston along a shared CSX and MBTA corridor. Up to eight round trips (seven new east–west round trips) could be provided, with an average travel time of 3:09 hours between Pittsfield and Boston, and 1:57 hour between Springfield and Boston. Additional new stations would be built in Chester and Palmer. The cost for this alternative was estimated at $2.4 billion.[31]
  • Final Alternative 4 would provide direct passenger rail service between Pittsfield and Springfield along a shared CSX corridor, along an independent passenger track between Springfield and Worcester, and along a shared MBTA corridor between Worcester and Boston. Up to 10 round trips (nine new east–west round trips) could be provided, with an average travel time of 2:59 hours between Pittsfield and Boston, and 1:47 hour between Springfield and Boston. Additional new stations would include Chester and Palmer. The cost for this alternative estimated at $3.9 billion.[31]
  • Hybrid Alternative 4/5 would provide direct passenger rail service between Pittsfield and Springfield along a shared CSX corridor, along an independent passenger track with high-speed shortcuts between Springfield and Worcester, and along a shared MBTA corridor between Worcester and Boston. Up to 10 round trips (nine new east–west round trips) could be provided, with an average travel time of 2:49 hours between Pittsfield and Boston, and 1:37 hour between Springfield and Boston. Additional new stations would include Chester and Palmer. The cost for this option was estimated to be $4.6 billion.[31]

Amtrak ConnectsUS Plan (2021)[edit]

In Summer 2021, Amtrak published a comprehensive fifteen-year service expansion plan that included a new service between Albany and Boston; this planned service coincided with MassDOT's East-West Rail proposal.[32] The service was modeled to operate similarly to Amtrak's other diesel intercity services that run on freight trackage such as the Pennsylvanian and Empire Service.[33]

Northern Tier Passenger Rail (2019-2024)[edit]

A proposal known as Northern Tier Passenger Rail is currently subject to a planning study by MassDOT. The proposed corridor would expand passenger rail service west of Fitchburg through Greenfield and terminate at North Adams, following the existing Pan Am Southern rail corridor.[34] The line would connect Berkshire, Franklin, Worcester, Middlesex, and Suffolk counties in northwestern Massachusetts with North Station. In January 2023, MassDOT reported that initial estimates of the total cost for corridor track upgrades would cost between $1.044 billion to $2.187 billion and would take around three years to construct. Suggested infill stations include Shelburne Falls, Millers Falls, Orange, Gardner, and Cambridge.[35] Both diesel-powered and electrified service alternatives have been studied . The project is currently in the pre-decisional stage and is not funded; there is no timeline for service implementation.

Compass Rail (2023)[edit]

In October 2023, MassDOT indicated new plans for a statewide intercity rail service vision called Compass Rail, which mostly concerns improvements to passenger rail corridors in Western Massachusetts. The "Compass" terminology refers to proposed and existing east-west and north-south passenger rail services that intersect at Springfield Union Station.[36] Currently, East-West Rail is the only new rail service outlined within the plan, with other services consisting of existing CT Rail and Amtrak services on the Hartford and Connecticut River lines. A Compass Rail director was appointed in February 2024.

Service development[edit]

In Spring 2022, the state of Massachusetts utilized CSX's intent to purchase Pan Am railways as leverage to get CSX to cooperate on improved passenger rail; as a result, CSX agreed to conditions emplaced by the Surface Transportation Board for facilitating passenger rail between Boston and Pittsfield.[37] In July 2022, the Massachusetts Senate committed $275 million to design, engineering and construction expenses, among other investments for East-West Rail within an amendment to an infrastructure bond.[38] Former governor Charlie Baker expressed support for the creation of a western Massachusetts passenger rail authority be established to secure funding and govern the project; service operations would be handled by Amtrak, MassDOT or the MBTA.[39] Governor Maura Healy indicated plans to appoint a dedicated East-West Rail director that would oversee all major construction and operational contracts (a director was appointed on February 6, 2024).[40][41]

The Western Massachusetts Passenger Rail Commission was created in summer of 2022 to develop a permanent body to manage and enhance passenger rail through the region. The 19-member commission will review proposals and cost-benefit analysis from the 2021 East-West Rail study. The deadline for the commission to deliver a final report for public entities that could handle East-West Rail design, construction, and operations was set to be March 31, 2023; however, both the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate approved versions of a spending bill that would delay the commission's deadline to June 30, 2023 (the report would instead be delivered in November).[42] The Baker administration intended to fund the project with federal money available to rail projects in the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law; the law has $9 billion for Massachusetts and $66 billion for Amtrak. The state indicated that it will apply for a part of $1.4 billion in Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) grant funding.[7] Several preliminary projects are currently underway to facilitate new east-to-west services; this includes the construction of a second platform at Worcester Union Station.[43]

In December 2022, MassDOT along with Amtrak and CSX applied for $108 million in federal transportation money to help fund improvements along the 53 miles of railroad between Springfield and Worcester. Amtrak has pledged $9 million to the effort, with MassDOT contributing $18 million. CSX, which owns most of the tracks in the corridor, provided a letter of support.[44] The track upgrades will increase speeds on the corridor up to 80 miles per hour. It is planned to add two daily Amtrak trips between Boston, Worcester and Springfield as an interim phase of inland East-West Rail service; however, politicians in Berkshire County were immediately critical of this plan for not including service to Pittsfield as well.[3] In addition, a track siding will be built in Grafton that will improve the efficiency and capacity of freight interchange with the Grafton & Upton Railroad.[45] The US Department of Transportation awarded the $108 million in September 2023.[46]

In March 2023, a state budget proposal had announced it would allocate $12.5 million towards initial East-West Rail construction with $8.5 million going towards track improvements at Pittsfield station while $4 million would go towards study and design for a new station in Palmer; additionally, the proposed budget also earmarked $650,000 for five full-time employees dedicated to East-West Rail planning, including a project director.[47][48][49] Despite this, all references to East-West Rail funding were removed from the final budget by the House Ways and Means Committee in May 2023.[2][50][51] Funding for East-West Rail was restored in June 2023 within MassDOT's capital plan which allocated $12.5 million for preliminary projects.[52]

On April 27, 2023, the MassDOT Rail & Transit Administrator’s report to the MassDOT Board of Directors indicated that MassDOT had executed an agreement with CSX to begin preliminary engineering and simulation modeling for East-West Rail project alternatives.[2] Simulation modeling is projected to be completed in June 2024, with the preliminary engineering for Springfield-area track work expected to be complete in Spring 2025.[14]

On August 1, 2023, it was reported that the Western Massachusetts Passenger Rail Commission had failed to deliver its final East-West Rail report to the Joint Committee on Transportation on the June 30 deadline; the report was released on November 21, 2023.[53][8]

The Western Massachusetts Passenger Rail Commission released their final East-West Rail report on November 21, 2023, which determined that the creation of a new regional rail authority to govern East-West Rail would be redundant and counterproductive; instead, the Commission recommended that MassDOT oversee East-West Rail and all future intercity rail services within the state. The report indicates the immediate need to expand capacity at South Station to support East-West Rail and enhanced passenger services; the construction of additional platforms at South Station would need to be a requisite for East-West Rail. Additionally, the capital expenditure cost to construct East-West Rail has been projected to have increased by 30% since 2020.[54]

In March 2023, MassDOT submitted applications under the FRA's FY22 Corridor Identification and Development Program for two new intercity corridors: Boston to Albany-Rensselaer via Springfield, and Boston to New Haven via Springfield.[2][6] In December 2023, the FRA accepted the Boston–Springfield–Albany route into the program, with eight daily round trips proposed. The program grants $500,000 toward service planning and prioritizes the route for future federal funding.[55][56]

Planned service delivery[edit]

Inland Route[edit]

The first phase of East-West Rail only applies to upgrades to the Boston-Springfield portion of the route along with the restoration of the former Inland Route. As currently planned, two daily Amtrak Hartford Line trains would be extended to South Station via Springfield. A new station is to be constructed in the town of Palmer. Construction is projected to begin in 2027 with service starting in 2029.[15]

Full Build[edit]

The full build of East-West Rail is projected for completion by 2045. As proposed, the full build will consist of three daily Boston-Albany round trips operated by Amtrak.[57]

Project concerns[edit]

Advocacy groups have called for East-West Rail to be electrified like Amtrak's Northeast Corridor

In 2022 the transit watchdog group TransitMatters released a plan called "90 Minutes To Springfield" which called into question aspects of MassDOT's East-West Rail Study. TransitMatters called MassDOT cost estimates for East-West Rail service "bloated" and they questioned why MassDOT's East-West Rail Study included no improvements for the MBTA Framingham/Worcester Line. The TransitMatters plan called for the East-West Rail project, along with all future rail projects in Massachusetts, to be fully electrified to meet state environmental goals.[58][59] The Western Mass Rail Coalition, a consortium of several rail advocacy groups in Western Massachusetts, also objected to MassDOT's East-West Rail Study due to exorbitant project costs in relation to the type of service delivery that was proposed.[60]

At times media outlets have presented the project as an extension of the MBTA commuter rail or a high-speed rail corridor which has at times led to the project being publicly perceived differently from its proposed intent.[61][62][63] News media has also been critical to the decision to operate diesel service for East-West Rail, citing environmental concerns.[64]

State Representative Smitti Pignateli said in an editorial in 2022 that East-West Rail should be integrated as a part of a greater vision for statewide regional rail under the authority of a single statewide agency.[65] Regional equity between the eastern and western regions of Massachusetts has also been a matter of contention; at a meeting of the Western Massachusetts Passenger Rail Commission on January 24, 2023, State Representative Natalie Blais said that it was important there is western Massachusetts-based control for East-West Rail and that if the service is managed from Boston the interests of people living in western parts of the state might not be properly represented.[66] Later on August 1, 2023, an editorial would reiterate this sentiment by criticizing the Legislature's decision to omit funding for East-West Rail from the 2023 Massachusetts state budget and accused Eastern Massachusetts lawmakers as being Boston-centric; the editorial points that the budget's $477 million investment for transportation includes $205 million for the MBTA but excludes funding for East-West Rail.[67]

In April 2023, Representative Seth Moulton criticized MassDOT's plan to run diesel trains on the East-West Rail corridor; instead, Moulton expressed support for revising current East-West Rail plans to instead prioritize high-speed rail service between Boston and Pittsfield.[68][69][70]

In February 2024, State Representative William Pignatelli expressed concern that MassDOT and the state Legislature had failed to address the immediate need to expand capacity at South Station to support East-West Rail service which could potentially jeopardize the viability of the project.[14]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

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  4. ^ a b c d https://www.mass.gov/doc/chapter-3-existing-conditions-0/download
  5. ^ a b c https://www.mass.gov/doc/chapter-4-alternatives-development-and-analysis-0/download
  6. ^ a b https://trainsinthevalley.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/WMPRC-Northampton-Mtg-PXL_20230321_182828414.jpg
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  25. ^ http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/news_events/?id=18187 Patrick-Murray Administration Finalizes Agreement with CSX Transportation, MBTA press release, Sept 23, 2009
  26. ^ "Albany Division - Berkshire Subdivision". 2002-11-26. Archived from the original on 2002-11-26. Retrieved 2023-06-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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  30. ^ https://www.mass.gov/doc/chapter-2-introduction-0/download
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  42. ^ "Rail Supporters Demand Track Connection To Eastern Mass". WBZ NewsRadio 1030. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
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  47. ^ Wilson, Maria; Daley, Photojournalist: Josh; Villacorta, Abigail Murillo (2 March 2023). "Governor Healey budget proposal plans to fund East-West Rail". Western Mass News. Retrieved 2023-03-02.
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  49. ^ Kuznitz, Alison (2023-03-10). "'We see you'; Gov. Healey announces new director of rural affairs while in Western Mass". masslive. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
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External links[edit]

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