Rochester blindsided by new fast train
Rochester Town Administrator Richard LaCamera has a message for state officials pushing a higher-speed passenger rail service: Slow down.
A joint venture of the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, and the state’s Department of Transportation will bring the new CapeFLYER trains through town at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour.
LaCamera is not opposed to the trains. He did say unaddressed safety issues at a rail crossing located on County Road and poor communication from state officials caused concern.
“We were only given a day and half notice to attend a meeting to speak about public safety,” he said.
Local officials learned of the meeting, held in Wareham on April 25, after a contractor arrived at Town Hall to secure a permit for paving work at the site.
“Other than that, we had zero contact with the state,” LaCamera said.
The crossing is located around a bend in the road that limits its visibility to drivers. Gates and flashing light signals are in place, however, LaCamera said drivers should be cautioned as they approach.
“There’s no warning, no way to know until you’re on top of the crossing, that a train is actually there,” he said.
To address that, LaCamera requested warning lights be installed on County Road near the tracks.
For LaCamera, communication between state and town should have occurred.
“Those conversations didn’t happen overnight. For [state officials] to tell us this is the way it’s going to be, there should have been discussions beforehand,” he said.
Trains are scheduled to being service from Boston-to-Hyannis on Memorial Day weekend.