According to a draft study, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) announced that, from the perspective of infrastructure, North South Rail Link (NSRL) commuter line depends largely on tunnel and underground station (South Station), which will lead to an increased capacity of 25 per cent.
The proposed NSRL would involve 2.4 km rail tunnels connecting North and South Stations in downtown Boston and includes two-track or four-track alignment.
The total costs, including all costs associated with the tunnel construction, new or additional locomotives or coaches, upstream improvements needed to support increased service levels, and risk contingencies, range from USD 12.3 billion to USD 14.4 billion for the 2-track alignments and USD 21.5 billion for the 4-track alignment.
All NSRL station platforms would be underground and would maintain current connections into today’s South Station headhouse (Red and Silver Lines) and North metro station (Green and Orange Lines). All north-side service was also assumed to run through the NSRL tunnel, meaning that surface-level tracks and platforms would not be required for revenue service.
NSRL could also allow for a larger and less complicated development opportunity at South Station, eliminates the need for a close-in layover at Widett Circle, and could create the potential for redevelopment at the site of today’s surface tacks and platforms behind TD Garden.
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