Peabody-Salem Trolley Study Added To Recovery Bill

PEABODY, MA — A long-discussed plan to link Peabody to the Salem MBTA station moved forward last week with the passage of a $455 million recovery bill passed by the state senate.

State Sen. Joan Lovely (D-Salem) added an amendment to the ENDURE Act that would give Peabody $500,000 to conduct a pilot study. The bill includes transportation infrastructure improvements and aide to small businesses in Massachusetts.

Peabody officials have long looked for ways to dormant trolley tracks to link the city to the MBTA station in Salem. Proponents argue it would reduce congestion and make Peabody a more desirable place to live for people who commute to Boston for work.

A 2018 feasibility study estimated it would cost $35 million to restore the line, which has not been used since 1958. The state senate and house are in the process of reconciling different versions of the bill for final approval before it is sent to Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker.

Dave Copeland covers Peabody and other North Shore communities for Patch. He can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).