Readers Say

“Hopefully what the MBTA is saying now is actually true and not just false hope for all of us South Coasters.”

The South Coast Rail project has been delayed — again.

MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng announced the delay at public meetings in Southeastern Massachusetts earlier this month. The project, which will extend commuter rail service to Taunton, New Bedford, and Fall River, is now predicted to begin operating in May 2025.

The South Coast Rail project, which has been in talks for over 30 years, was originally expected to begin service in late 2023. A November update signified a summer 2024 beginning date, but Eng’s most recent announcement has pushed it back to next spring.

“The MBTA is deeply committed to delivering the South Coast Rail project while upholding the highest standards of quality and safety before launching passenger service,” Eng said in a statement. “We are dedicated to providing the public with a reliable and dependable railroad system they can count on.”

We asked readers to tell us if they have been impacted by the project delays and, if so, how both the past and present delays have affected their commutes in and out of the city. Eighty percent of the 35 readers who responded to our poll said they have been affected by the delays.

Many readers said the drive to the commuter rail station at Middleborough/Lakeville is too long. A journey round-trip from the station can be upwards of 90 minutes, according to readers.

“Would love not to have to continue to drive 20 minutes to the closest station for my everyday commute,” said another reader from New Bedford.

“It is an additional 45-minute drive all the way to Middleborough/Lakeville compared to the 15 minutes it will be once it’s complete,” said one Boston.com reader.

Read on to see a sampling of how some readers have been impacted by the setbacks in the South Coast Rail Project.

Some quotes have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

“I spent thousands moving down under the assumption it would open in early summer, only to find out weeks beforehand that it was ‘delayed indefinitely.’ I had to rescind my job offer and find a new job. I’ve had so much stress and upset over this. This has financially hurt me so severely and it all could have been avoided if they gave more than a few weeks notice before failing to meet a deadline.”

— Allison, Fall River

“I took the commuter rail for years working in Boston, driving about 20 minutes to the nearest station (Middleborough/Lakeville), and hopping on the train for a ride into the city. The pandemic closure shifted my commute to driving the entire way, as I had to travel into the city Monday-Friday. Driving in was a breeze during the first few years of COVID. With the traffic returning to as-normal-as-you-can-get levels, having this additional option would be beneficial to everyone commuting to and from the South Coast. With the way construction projects are done here, I don’t believe this May 2025 delay is the last we’ll see. At this rate, I’ll probably be retired before we actually see the South Coast Rail. (That’ll be in 20+ years, so that’s saying quite a bit.)”

— Mason, Fall River

“Persons with Disabilities in Southeastern Massachusetts have limited transportation options to and from Boston, especially those who use mobility devices. The longer the delay the longer we wait for access to healthcare and jobs.”

— Steven H., East Taunton

“This means another year of driving to Middleborough/Lakeville to pick up my child when she chooses to come home and visit. This project isn’t scheduled for completion the month she graduates college!”

— Malissa, New Bedford

“It’s not so much a daily commute, but as someone who lives in Maine and occasionally doesn’t like to drive the nearly 300 miles back south, the train to Fall River being delayed is just an inconvenience. Getting from Boston to down here isn’t easy to begin with already, especially with the stations being in Bridgewater and Providence. We’ve been saying for years that it should be extended again, and as a college kid, it would be a gamechanger to get from Boston to Fall River with ease. It would make a lot of lives a lot easier with long-distance traveling.”

— Amanda L., Swansea

“I had planned to go to a few Portuguese festivals down in Fall River or New Bedford and meeting some friends, but I don’t drive so it has made it impossible. The potential for making new friends to foster community has now gone down the drain.”

— Jason B., Malden

“My partner and I share one car, and she’s stuck driving 50+ minutes each way to work in New Bedford (I take the commuter rail to work in Boston). We were really looking forward to putting far fewer miles on the car and spending less on gas for commuting, but I guess it’s going to wait ANOTHER year.”

— Stephen, Hyde Park

“I cannot drive into Boston from Portsmouth, R.I. as it takes upwards of 2.5 hours during weekday rush hours, so I have to work from home until the rail project is finished. This impacts my ability to work closely with my stakeholders and have valuable face time with colleagues and customers.”

— Maureen M., Portsmouth, RI

“Moved to the area anticipating service but I am still driving to work.”

— Alan W., Fall River

“Not a daily commute, but I use the Middleborough Line to commute home from college once in a while. It’s a burden for one of my parents to drive nearly an hour round-trip out into the middle of nowhere just to pick me up and bring me home. The South Coast Rail should have been opened a long time ago, especially considering the hundreds of people that stuff those trains every morning. Hopefully what the MBTA is saying now is actually true and not just false hope for all of us South Coasters.”

— Amelia R., New Bedford