South Salem Commuter Rail Stop Awarded $2.8 Million In Federal Funding

SALEM, MA — The proposed new South Salem Commuter Rail stop near Salem State University's main campus was awarded $2.8 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation as part of $1.8 billion in funding announced on Wednesday.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the South Salem stop was among three projects in Massachusetts that will share $26 million during this round of Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) funding.

"After decades of underinvestment, the condition of America's infrastructure is now finally getting better instead of worse," Buttegieg said. "We're funding projects across the country to make roads safer, make it easier for people to move around their community, make transportation infrastructure more resilient to extreme weather, and improve supply chains to keep costs down for consumers."

The South Salem stop, which has been in the planning for several years, would add a stop between Canal Street and Jefferson Avenue in Salem. The proposal includes a pedestrian bridge over the tracks to increase safety for those walking to and near the train as well as a foot bridge that will connect key destinations within the Witch City.

Advocates for the new stop say it will benefit an underserved area of the North Shore with access to and from Boston as well as reduce traffic and the pollution that results from it.

The U.S. DOT said the demand for RAISE funding outpaced available funds, with the Department receiving almost $13 billion in requests for the $1.8 billion available this year.

"Across Massachusetts, we need to make smart, new investments to improve our transportation future," U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton said. "This RAISE funding will be transformative for increasing transportation access in South Salem, with high-quality connections to major destinations like Salem State University and Salem Hospital with the community.

"I was proud to have secured federal funding to support the first phase of design work a few years ago. Now, this new grant will bring the crucial next phase of the project into reality,”

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)