NNEPRA Projects
NNEPRA is in the process of developing a Downeaster passenger train layover facility in Brunswick to maximize the utility and efficiency of expanded Downeaster service. A design/build contract to construct the facility has recently been awarded to Consigli Construction Company of Portland, Maine. The facility is proposed to be located at the site of the Brunswick rail yard, located between Church Road and Stanwood Street, approximately .6 miles west of the Brunswick Station. In the coming months, Consigli will prepare preliminary design plans for the facility.
The Downeaster MBTA Track Improvement Project will add double track and replace rail in Massachusetts on the portion of the Downeaster line owned by the MBTA. These improvements will help improve Downeaster reliability /on-time performance and set the stage for more Downeaster frequencies. The total Project cost is $26,027,764; NNEPRA received a FRA grant for $20,822,341 and the MBTA provided a match of $5,205,423.
In 2011, NNEPRA received a grant for $600,000, which will be matched with $150,000 in State Funds, to complete the Downeaster Service Development Plan. A Service Development Plan (SDP) is a plan for developing high-speed intercity passenger rail service, either initiating new service or improving existing service (e.g., adding train frequencies and/or reducing trip times). It is required by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to justify requests for capital funding for service improvements.
