Salem releases updated South Salem commuter rail plans; residents press for access, safety and design changes

Salem City officials, the MBTA and consultants from AECOM presented updated 15% design plans for a proposed South Salem commuter rail station at a public information meeting, outlining a bridge shifted north of Ocean Ave West, two 600-foot side platforms and a possible 14-foot Jefferson Avenue pedestrian spur intended to reduce foot, bike and vehicle traffic through the Ocean Ave West neighborhood.

The updated baseline design, project timeline and mitigation measures were presented as part of a multi-year planning process; the project is at roughly 15% design, the city said, and the team estimates two years to complete 100% design followed by a later construction phase that could take about three years pending funding.

“The updated baseline is shifting the bridge and major infrastructure further north away from the end of Ocean Ave West and the direct view of the neighborhood,” said Matt (AECOM), the project presenter, describing changes made after public feedback received at a June meeting and through an online survey. The shift eliminates a switchback in the ramp while keeping walking distance to platforms largely unchanged, the team said.

Why it matters: planners and MBTA officials said a neighborhood station would reconnect divided parts of South Salem and provide a transit alternative for people who work, study or receive services at nearby institutions, including Salem State University and Salem Hospital. The MBTA’s rail modernization and electrification program, representatives said, will run higher-frequency, electric trains on the corridor; Alisa Sors, Head of Rail Modernization for the MBTA, said electric trains will be quieter and emit no on-site exhaust, and that service spans are being evaluated to support shift workers.

City and project-team details

- Current design elements shown at the meeting include two 600-foot side platforms, a pedestrian bridge moved north of Ocean Ave West, covered ramps and platform canopies, a privacy screen and walls adjacent to Ocean Ave West residences, and fencing behind the platforms.

- AECOM described a potential Jefferson Avenue spur that would run along the rear of the Amazon property and connect to Jefferson Ave; the spur would be a 14-foot-wide lit and signed path with security features designed to function like a bike-rail spur or continuation of the existing Salem bike path. The team said that spur would be pedestrian- and bike-only; “there will be no vehicular access along the Amazon access spur,” the project team said.

- The design would remove elevators on the Ocean Ave West (western) side and rely on ramps on that side; elevators or ramps would connect the Canal Street/bike-path side down to the platform elevation.

- The city said federal funding secured through Congressman Moulton supported the current design work and that additional construction funding will need to be sought before building.

Questions from residents and project-team responses

Many residents who live on Ocean Ave West and nearby streets attended and asked about property impacts, parking, pedestrian and vehicle flows, safety, lighting and aesthetics.

Nicole Talbot, a resident of 134 Ocean Ave West, said, “I am scared. I’m scared that there’s gonna be more crime. I’m scared that there’s gonna be litter,” summarizing neighborhood security and quality-of-life concerns echoed by others. Several attendees asked whether houses would be taken; the project team said, “There’s currently no plans for houses to be taken,” and clarified that property impacts discussed so far would mostly involve portions of yards or small strip takings, not wholesale home removals.

Residents asked why alternatives closer to the tunnel portal or farther behind Amazon had been dismissed; MBTA and the project team said constraints included the tunnel’s single-track portal (which would reduce achievable service frequency), existing MBTA yard operations and limited room for platforms behind Amazon. The team said earlier alternatives had been considered and that the chosen site represented the option that best supported two-platform, higher-frequency service.

The MBTA representative, Alisa Sors, said the agency is building supporting electrification infrastructure nearby and purchasing new electric trains. “We are electrifying. We are working on that right now… it will be electric, not diesel, significantly quieter, no emissions at the point of source,” Sors said, adding that service hours are being planned to better serve early-shift workers and weekend all-day service.

Design, access and mitigation topics the project team committed to address in further design stages

- Off-street mitigation and parking enforcement strategies to reduce spillover parking in neighborhood streets; signage and enforcement were cited as likely tools.

- Further refinement of the Jefferson Avenue spur concept, including ramp/connection design at the Jefferson Ave end, privacy screening and the midpoint canopy and wall section to reduce visual and light impacts for adjacent properties.

- Architectural and material choices to address neighborhood aesthetic concerns during the 25%–100% design stages; the team said current drawings are baseline feasibility concepts and that architectural details will be developed if the project reaches 100% design.

- Bike parking and secure bike storage with lighting and cameras; the team said secure, covered bike parking is planned to be part of later designs.

Timeline and next steps

The project team said the work is at about 15% design. If the city proceeds to complete design, AECOM or another consultant would move the project through 25%, 50% and 100% design milestones over roughly two years; construction would start only after the city secures construction funding and could require multiple years to complete. The project website and meeting materials are posted at salemma.gov/southsalemtrain, the presenters said.

What remains unresolved

Residents pressed for clearer answers about enforcement of drop-off behavior, the plan for shuttle stops and bus-train coordination, the details of the Jefferson Ave connection across private property, the visual design of station elements, and the extent of any property impacts (the city said it will provide more detailed mapping and materials). The project team repeatedly said many of those items will be refined and publicly reviewed during 25%–100% design milestones.

Ending

Project materials and the meeting recording, the team said, will be posted to salemma.gov/southsalemtrain. The project team invited attendees to review large-scale plans at breakout tables and to submit written feedback by email to southsalemtrain@salem.com.