Markey, Clark Announce Money Secured for Wonderland Commuter Rail

U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey and Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark hosted a press conference March 25 to announce the $4 million in congressionally directed spending they helped secure for the proposed Wonderland Commuter Rail Station and Blue Line Connector.

“I am thrilled to celebrate the $4 million in congressionally directed spending that Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark, Sen. Warren, and I have been able to secure for the City of Revere,” said Markey. “We are today celebrating the renaissance of Revere. This $4 million for Revere is a down payment on the long-awaited project that would vastly expand public transit access between metro Boston, Revere, and the North Shore connecting the Blue Line and the Newburyport-Rockport community rail line.”

Markey said a Wonderland commuter rail station will further enhance the transformation of Revere Beach and the City of Revere that has occurred during the Brian Arrigo Administration.

“We are now getting closer and closer to the finalization and completion of this vision,” said Markey. “This $4 million in funding is one of the key final steps in completing the vision of Revere being at the center of the North Shore for generations.”

Clark, who is now a resident of Revere, said during conversations with Mayor Arrigo, former senator Joe Boncore, and community leaders, she asked them, “What investments we could make that really make a difference in the lives of families in Revere, Winthrop, and the region?”

“And the Wonderland multi-modal connector was the resounding response,” noted Clark. “This project has it all: the transit benefits that will modernize the Commonwealth’s commuter rail network, improvements to regional connectivity, reduction in traffic and congestion on our roadways, a reduction of carbon emissions, and economic benefits to businesses throughout the Greater Boston region.

“Simply put this is a game-changer for our community and for the entire Commonwealth,” added Clark.

Mayor Arrigo said, “the $4 million in funding will get the ball rolling on a project that the City of Revere has dreamt about for several years.”

“A transit hub and a commuter walkway would alleviate the passage of traffic that affects Revere and our quality of life every day,” said Arrigo. “Today marks another great step on the path to a brighter future for not only our city but for our entire region.”

Sen. Lydia Edwards lauded the teamwork of federal, state, and local officials in the project, stating, “We ultimately are going to be able to create a regional traffic plan that makes sure that we  not just move people, but we move economies, that we move futures generationally.

“This is a down payment not just on our infrastructure but on our green future and on our children’s future,” said Edwards.

Reps. Jessica Giannino and Jeffrey Turco also delivered remarks.

“As the state representative for the Sixteenth Suffolk District and a lifelong resident of Revere, I am very excited for this project and the opportunities that it will provide for the residents of my community as well as neighboring communities,” said Giannino. “Revere, along with gateway and environmental communities, has long faced the brunt of pollution and traffic congestion created by daily transit. This multi-modal transit facility will ease the burden of both factors and improve the quality of life for the people of Revere.”

In his remarks, Turco drew upon the history of Revere, noting landscape designer Charles Eliot’s vision for “the first-in-the-nation public beach, Revere Beach, 126 years ago.”

“When you talk about this multi-modal transportation, the idea of while we’re building up these new condominiums and bringing new people into Revere, you also want to make sure we don’t lose the vision that Charles Eliot had for our beach,” said Turco. “We want to make sure that this beach is always open to the people. This multi-modal transportation is going to open up new possibilities for young Ed Markeys and young Jeff Turcos to come here to Revere Beach, not just from Revere, but from Lynn, Gloucester, Rockport, and Newburyport.

“I think it’s such an exciting opportunity for the people of this area. It’s visionary leadership. One-hundred-twenty-six years later, we’re still talking about Charles Eliot. In 126 years, we’ll be talking about Ed Markey and Speaker Clark for their visionary leadership to help make this project possible,” concluded Turco.