Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | April 20, 2026 | Worcester Business Journal 9 Rail service would follow earlier decisions made in the region. Worcester Redevelopment Au- thority Chair Michael Angelini refer- enced that connection during an April 9 meeting, pointing to Worcester's agreement to allow a CSX freight yard relocation as part of the broader effort to enable development in Allston. "I want to urge us to continue to be aggressive about this and remind all of us that the major development of the parcel in Allston is available to people in the Boston area because we agreed to allow the CSX freight yard to Worcester," Angelini said. "ere was both implicitly and explicitly an understanding that this would facil- itate the state's promise of giving us more frequent and more timely train service to and from Boston, which has not occurred." East meets west, electrification Compass Rail, a MassDOT effort to begin several daily round trips between Pittsfield and Boston, has the possibility of unlocking new econom- ic opportunities for Central Massa- chusetts. A new station planned for Palmer would allow commuters and visitors west of Worcester an alter- native to MassPike traffic, Matthews said. Electrification of the line, ending its reliance on diesel-powered trains, could unlock new opportunities. Electric trains allow for faster accel- eration and deceleration and steeper grades, slashing travel times and opening up the door for elevating the Commuter Rail over at-grade cross- ings with roadways like those found in Framingham's downtown area. While any implementation of electrification remains years away, if not decades, McKenna sees this as an opportunity to supercharge the Fram- ingham station's role as a transpor- tation and economic hub, improving conditions for both local riders and drivers. "If you went up and over with electrified rail, it would cut a lot of the traffic congestion and major interrup- tions out," he said. PHOTOS | ERIC CASEY New housing near MBTA stations since 2016 Worcester and Framingham have led the region's transit-orientated housing development of more than 20 units over the 10 years. Property Address Project status Units Cirrus 10 Cirrus Drive, Ashland Complete 398 Aria on the Row 22 Mount Carmel Way, Worcester Complete 370 145 Front at City Square 145 Front St., Worcester Complete 365 The Benjamin on Franklin 274 Franklin St., Worcester Under construction 364 The 266 Framingham 266 Waverly St., Framingham Complete 270 Bancroft Lofts 59 Fountain St., Framingham Complete 258 Village at Grafton Woods 5 Millennium Drive, Grafton Proposed 233 The Revington 1 Green Island Blvd., Worcester Complete 228 Union House 55 Concord St., Framingham Complete 196 The Residences at Table Talk Square 139 Green St., Worcester Proposed 185 Waverly Development project 358 Waverly St., Framingham Under construction 181 The Cove 85 Green St., Worcester Complete 173 District 120 120 Washington St., Worcester Complete 83 Union Street Apartments 54 Union Ave., Framingham Complete 75 The Central Building 332 Main St., Worcester Complete 55 Kelley Square Lofts 150 Green St., Worcester Complete 48 The Flats at Natick Center 7 Washington St., Natick Under construction 48 45 E. Central St. 45 E Central St., Natick Complete 46 Natick Commons 31 S Main St., Natick Complete 32 22 Waverly 22 Waverly St., Worcester Complete 32 Natick Corner 69 E Central St., Natick Complete 30 Chatham Street Lofts 6 Chatham St., Worcester Complete 24 Sources: CoStar, media reports W Commuter Rail is an important economic asset The MBTA's Worcester/Framingham Line plays a vital role in connecting Central Massachusetts to Boston, with the Worcester Regional Research Bureau reporting the largest percentage of the line's inbound riders board at its Worcester station. The state is finalizing plans to add an Allston station along the line, a project that would impact service during construction but has the potential to make the line more reliable and useful in the long term. When polled online, the plurality of WBJ readers said their businesses don't use the Commuter Rail, but they still view it as an important economic asset. Does your business use the Commuter Rail? 36% No, but it's still an important economic asset for Central Massachusetts. 25% No, we don't use it at all. 15% Yes, it's a vital connection for us to Eastern Massachusetts. 13% Yes, but we only use it occasionally. 8% Yes, our employees use it to commute. 3% Indirectly, as it helps with hiring, clients, and regional access.

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