MBTA officials announce South Coast Rail is scheduled to open March 24

FREETOWN, Mass. (WLNE) — MBTA officials gathered Monday night to announce that South Coast Rail is set to open for passengers in late March.

After thousands of test runs and years of safety training, the project is set to bring passenger rail service to the South Coast for the first time in 65 years.

“We’re very optimistic that we will be receiving FRA approval to target March 24 as the date that we start our first train of passenger service,” MBTA General Manager Phil Eng said.

MBTA Chief Operating Officer Ryan Coholan, who grew up in New Bedford, has been a leader in the project’s development.

“I’d always ask my parents or even my grandparents, ‘Hey how come there’s no train?’ It’s a real amazing privilege to be part of something that can fuel an entire economy and an entire region,” Coholan said.

Officials projected there will be at least 15 direct trips to Boston each day from both New Bedford and Fall River, with a round trip ticket costing a little less than $25.

Trains will also run out of Taunton and Freetown.

“Transportation, where its rail or other, sound, robust transportation system is about freedom to move,” Eng said. “It’s about giving people the ability to get out and about.”

But with the increase in service comes a noise concern, and several residents expressed frustration at the meeting when they learned they could be hearing trains as early as 4 a.m.

However, others at the meeting shared their gratitude, including Coholan, with the service as a dream come true.

“There’s a true, very special thing to be delivering transportation to people who knew you as that kid, asking why there’s no train,” Coholan said. “To be a part of that now many years later I think that service is going to be very important.”