MBTA Begins Framingham-Worcester Line Third Track Project

FRAMINGHAM, MA — The MBTA last week took a big step toward adding an express track along the Framingham-Worcester line, potentially making way for faster service and easier access for riders at four stations along the route.

The MBTA's Fiscal and Management Control Board has signed off on spending $28 million to design a third track between the West Natick commuter rail station and Wellesley Farms, among other station and track improvements in the area.

The design work is the very beginning of a project that could take a decade and cost up to $400 million. The MBTA plans to take about 4-1/2 years to design the project, obtain permits and review the environmental impact. If that timeline holds, construction wouldn't begin until late 2025, with completion in late 2030.

Adding a third track starting near Framingham would speed up the existing Heart to Hub express trains from Worcester to Boston, according to the MBTA. The transit agency would also be able to add one Heart to Hub express train per day with a third track.

The MBTA is also planning to spend about $1.7 million to upgrade the train crossing at Bishop Street in Framingham, which is endlessly clogged with traffic during peak commute times. The West Natick, Wellesley Square, Wellesley Hills and Wellesley Farms stations would also be renovated. The Natick Center station is in the midst of a $36.2 million upgrade set to be complete in 2022.

If all goes according to plan, the new express track could come online in the middle of the Mass Pike Allston Multimodal Project, which threatens to make commutes from MetroWest to Boston even worse.