Three federal agencies have earmarked a $1 million grant to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority for improvements to its North Wilmington Station on the Haverhill Commuter Rail Line.
Per the MBTA, the funding allotment is sourced from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), in accordance with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
“We’re grateful to the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration for selecting our grant proposal to improve safety at this grade crossing and station in Wilmington,” MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak said. “Working together with the Keolis team, we prepared a successful application that will ensure that trains no longer block the motor vehicle grade crossing area during stops, meeting the requests of the Wilmington community.”
The funds are slated to be used to relocate and reconstruct the existing Commuter Rail station platform along an area of single track adjacent to Route 62, resulting in a new ADA-compliant boarding area enabling all train coaches to come to a stop outside the motor vehicle grade crossing area.
The MBTA and the agency’s operating partner for Commuter Rail, Keolis Commuter Services, partnered on station design and configuration as a means of developing and submitting the competitive federal grant application.