WILMINGTON, MA — The Wilmington Board of Selectmen are fed up with MBTA and its commuter rail operator Keolis. Over the objections of the Wilmington Police and Fire, commuter rail trains continue to endanger lives by frequently blocking Route 62 when stopping at North Wilmington station, preventing public safety vehicles from passing through when responding to emergency calls.
Town Manager Jeff Hull reiterated the problem at Monday night’s Board of Selectmen Meeting, recapping a meeting town officials had with MBTA and Keolis back in July.
The outbound trains heading from Boston to Haverhill typically do not need to block 62 unless they’re carrying a handicap passenger that needs to disembark.
“The only way to accommodate that situation would be to create a new platform further up the rail and there’s questions as to whether the MBTA even owns enough land to do that,” said Hull.
The inbound trains heading from Haverhill to Boston, on the other hand, always blocks Route 62, according to Hull, as there’s no platform to disembark or get on the train on the southbound side.
“In terms of funding, it’s not clear what the cost would be to construct platforms on the northbound and southbound sides,” noted Hull. “We’ve contacted Senator Bruce Tarr’s office and spoke to his aide, who has that question into MBTA… In the meantime, Senator Tarr was able to get $1 million include in a recent Economic Development Bond Bill for improvements to the station…. Governor Baker will now need to select that project to fund in his 5-year capital plan. There’s a number of different projects in the bill. Baker will select some, but not all. It’s key to ensure that $1 million gets into the capital plan.”
Selectmen Respond
“The Town has a unified front on this issue. The fact that this July meeting had to even happen is an illustration of the organizational problems that face the MBTA,” said Selectman Jonathan Eaton. “Unfortunately, the North Wilmington station is not on their priority list. Everyone in town wants this solved. This has been a problem for a long time.”
“Legislators, Town Officials, Chiefs of Police and Fire, and Selectmen are all making this an issue, but the MBTA hasn’t done anything,” continued Eaton. “I really think we need to be creative so the MBTA does something. The community needs to rally around this and excelerate this process… I’d like to see something happen where we bombard the MBTA with letters.”
“This needs to be resolved,” agreed Selectman Greg Bendel, “There’s got to be a way to signal the train that emergency vehicles are coming through. This is going to be a matter of life and death… again.”
“Believe me, I thought about this issue [after suffering my recent cardiac arrest],” said Selectman Ed Loud, who lives in North Wilmington past the tracks.”This has the attention of the board… Jeff [Hull] has been in the forefront on this issue.”
“The gentlemen at this table have been on top of this since the get go and people need to know that,” assured Selectman Chair Kevin Caira.
At the suggestion of Selectmen Bendel, Caira asked Town Manager Hull to invite MBTA and Keolis officials to a future Selectmen meeting to discuss the issue.
“I’d like us to extend an invitation to Keolis and MBTA to come in front of this board, on TV, in front of the public, and explain some of the things they explained to us [back at the July meeting],” said Selectman Bendel. “They told us they considered closing the station. They told us it’s one of the least used in the state. This issue simply isn’t a priority for them.”
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Good god, continued morons in action… or rather inaction.
I take that train every day and it is a Keolis training issue. The trains rarely stop where they are supposed to and thus block the crossing area.
Most days, like this morning they stop so close to the crossing that riders can’t board the 1st car because the driver overshot the platform.
Keolis needs to train their drivers the limits of where they can stop so they don’t block the road. Period. That is all that needs to be done. We don’t need to raise taxes or look for millions from the state to build a new platform there.
On outbound trains everyone knows they are supposed to exit from the last car and usually they are far enough up the track that emergency vehicles could pass as the road is not blocked. Many times they also overshoot the drop off spot and we have to climb down and jump the last couple feet.
“The outbound trains heading from Boston to Haverhill typically do not need to block 62 unless they’re carrying a handicap passenger that needs to disembark.”
This is the stupidest line I’ve read. There is no magic handicap ramp at that station. They still have to stop so that a handicapped passenger can disembark on the platform.
“In terms of funding, it’s not clear what the cost would be to construct platforms on the northbound and southbound sides,” noted Hull. ” – 2nd stupidest line in the piece. Mr, Hull there is only one track on that line. And only one side with a platform.
Again there is no need for a new station, just training for the drivers.
Why bother having another meeting that will go nowhere?
Mike – I posted on your FB that the town should engage our new attorneys and draft a demand letter to Keolis and threaten a lawsuit and you said you would bring it up at the meeting. Didn’t see that in the report.
However in typical town fashion the conversation switches to spending millions of dollars on a problem that they clearly don’t understand which will further raise taxes.
Selectmen – please do us all a favor and take the train for a week and you will quickly understand that this is a training issue.
And hopefully the mindless chatter about having to spend millions will cease.
But I know that is not the Wilmington way – perhaps you could wrap it up in a fact finding mission with a trip in and out of Boston and a night at a luxury hotel. Then follow it up with a discussion with the construction company of your choice and figure out how to funnel work to them.
Like every other long term problem in town the Selectmen and town manager are much more comfortable expressing false outrage and kicking the can down the road or coming up with costly ‘solutions’ that won’t fix the problem which they really don’t understand.
Make Keolis train their drivers better and the problem goes away. This is a perfect exemplar of the KISS principle (Keep It Simple Stupid).
Bob D., while your post has a legitimate suggestion, you are your own worst enemy in presentation. Calling names and mocking people who are in a position to further your cause is as counterproductive as you can get.
Have you ever heard the old adage, “You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar?” It’s an “old adage” for a reason—it’s more effective. You should give it a whirl sometime, honey. 🍯
Dear “Bob Donovan”. When I say I’m going to do something, I do it. On Friday, November 30, on the Facebook Wilmington Community Board page, Bob Voner posted “This has to change…emergency vehicles delayed by careless train parking. #There has to be a better way” above a picture of a train blocking access to Route 62 at the North Wilmington Train Station. I responded to that issue immediately, like I said I would. I called the town manager on Monday, December 3 and discussed this issue with the town manger. I asked him if we could engage our new town counsel to bring suit against Keolis and the MBTA. The manager responded that we can’t because it’s a state agency and it’s been there forever. It’s been an ongoing situation for a long time. “Bob Donovan” claims he posted that suggestion on my personal Facebook Page, but there is no such post. Just because I didn’t post it on Facebook doesn’t mean I didn’t do it. I did. Feel free to call Jeff Hull to verify this. By the way, the manager did a great job in the research which was presented under communications at the Board of Selectmen’s meeting held on December 10, 2018, giving the entire board an update.
Just today on Thursday, December 13, 2018 on the Wilmington Apple Facebook page, you accused me of not bringing up the matter of the town instructing to engage our new town counsel to threaten a lawsuit to Keolis and the MBTA at the December 10, 2018 selectmen’s meeting. I’m from old school–when I need to discuss an issue with someone, I prefer to speak to them directly. So, here’s what I did this afternoon: I looked up Robert Donovan, (there is only one Robert Donovan listed in the Town of Wilmington) and called his house because I wanted to personally reach out to him and explain what I did. His wife answered and then got him on the phone. We actually had a pleasant conversation and he had no idea what I was talking about. Mr. Donovan is a senior citizen, age 77 who lives on Shawsheen Avenue in Wilmington. Mind you–he is the ONLY Robert Donovan living in the Town of Wilmington and he does not have a Facebook account. Suspiciously enough, Robert Consorti posed that very question on the Wilmington Community Page and I responded “Great idea, Bob–I’ll make that suggestion”, which I did on the next business day of the Town Hall when I spoke with Jeff Hull. Our next selectmen’s meeting is January 14, 2019, 30 days away. If a constituent wants me to do something, should I wait till the next selectmen’s meeting, or take care of it right away? Most want it addressed right away. Just because you didn’t read it on Facebook doesn’t mean I didn’t address it. For future reference, if you have an issue and want my help with it, call me at home at (978) 657-5495. If I don’t answer, leave a message and I will call you back as soon as I can. I have also instructed Town Hall to give out my home phone number to residents as well. FYI folks–I do not read Facebook every day and I am not on the internet every day. If you need me, call me at home.
Robert Consorti, there’s no doubt in my mind that you signed your letter “Bob Donovan” and in the past, you’ve referred to yourself as “Boston Bob”. The real Robert Donovan asked me to ask you to please stop using his name. Shame on you for using yet another fake name. It’s unfortunate that Robert Hayes is well aware that people use fake names, screen names, nicknames and even initials and he continues to allow it. Years ago, the Wilmington Town Crier would accept Letters to the Editor signed “Name Witheld by Request” and could bash anyone they wanted and got away with it, but they’ve since did away with that policy because so many people complained about it. Bravo to the Town Crier. Mr. Hayes is also aware of this policy of the Town Crier.
Selectman Michael V. McCoy
Why isn’t the state stepping in and fining Keolis when they miss the mark (or station landing in this case)?
Because our town ‘management’ just expresses outrage instead of instructing our lawyers to do anything.