East Taunton station

East Taunton station
Company type	MBTA Commuter Rail station
Industry	Public transportation
Founded	March 24, 2025; 19 months ago
Headquarters	East Taunton, Massachusetts, United States
Area served	Fall River/New Bedford Line
Products	Commuter rail services
Website	www.mbta.com/stops/place-etcmt

East Taunton station is a facility on the MBTA Commuter Rail network located in East Taunton, Massachusetts, positioned close to the Route 24 highway and County Street (Route 140). It serves the Fall River/New Bedford Line and officially opened on March 24, 2025, as part of the South Coast Rail project's initial rollout. The station acts as a connection point between shuttle services and through trains.

Previously, a separate East Taunton station existed on the Taunton and Middleborough Railroad line until 1927, operated by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. During the planning phase of South Coast Rail in 2009, Taunton Depot near Middleborough Junction was preferred as a station location. However, a 2017 update to the project shifted focus to an interim route through Middleborough, situating East Taunton station just south of the junction. Construction commenced in 2020 and concluded in October 2024.

Station design

Located in southeastern Taunton along the New Bedford Secondary, the station lies just northwest of the Route 24 expressway. Access is provided by extending Industrial Drive from County Street (Route 140) near the interchange of Route 24 and Route 140. East Taunton station includes a single, full-length high-level island platform that is long and wide, serving two passenger tracks alongside a freight bypass track positioned to the west. The platform is connected to a parking area with 363 spaces via two pedestrian bridges—one equipped with stairs and another with ramps. This parking lot also features a designated area for Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority (GATRA) bus services.

Former service

The Taunton Branch Railroad was extended to under the name New Bedford and Taunton Railroad in 1840. The Middleborough and Taunton Railroad began operations in 1856, connecting Middleborough to Cotley Junction (also known as Middleborough Junction), located south of Taunton on the New Bedford and Taunton line. No station was established at this lightly populated junction. The original East Taunton station was situated approximately east at Old Colony Avenue within the village of East Taunton. The Middleborough and Taunton Railroad was acquired by the Old Colony Railroad in 1874, followed by the purchase of the New Bedford and Taunton line in 1879. Subsequently, the Old Colony Railroad became part of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad system in 1893.

Local passenger trains ran between Middleborough and Taunton as –Plymouth or –Plymouth services but ceased operations in 1927 when service on the Darby Branch ended. The East Taunton station was closed at that time; however, New York–Cape Cod trains continued to use this route until 1964, while commuter rail service between New Bedford and points via Taunton lasted until 1958. Freight operations persisted on both the Middleboro Secondary and New Bedford Subdivision, with state acquisition of the former line from Conrail occurring in December 1982.

South Coast Rail

In September 2008, MassDOT identified eighteen potential station locations for the South Coast Rail initiative, including two options for East Taunton: one situated west of Route 24 (serving Middleborough) and another north off Route 140 (serving Stoughton or Attleboro). By 2009, plans favored the Stoughton route with Taunton Depot selected at the northern site; this featured an island platform flanked by two passenger tracks plus a freight passing track. Transit-oriented development proposals included multi-family residential projects and redevelopment of shopping centers. The Final Environmental Impact Report released in 2013 closely reflected these designs. On June 11, 2010, ownership of the New Bedford Subdivision along with other CSX lines transferred to the state under a sale agreement.

Due to budgetary constraints, a revised strategy emerged in 2017 proposing early service via Middleborough by 2022 with full Stoughton route service delayed until 2030. This adjustment drew criticism, notably from officials in Taunton concerned about postponing downtown station access until then. A January 2018 Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report assessed multiple alternatives before selecting a new East Taunton station near the previously suggested southern site for its cost-effectiveness and reduced travel times.

Among three candidate sites south of Cotley Junction, a former sports complex located on Industrial Drive at 1141 County Street—adjacent to Route 24 and Route 140 interchange—was chosen. The planned design incorporated a single island platform serving two passenger tracks alongside a freight passing track.

Demolition of the sports complex took place in 2020 to make way for station infrastructure and parking facilities. On August 24, 2020, MBTA awarded a $403.5 million contract covering construction along both Middleborough Secondary and New Bedford Secondary lines, including East Taunton station itself. Construction began later that year with an anticipated duration of approximately thirty-seven months aiming for late-2023 opening initially. By November 2021, work reached eighteen percent completion; progress advanced to fifty-three percent by August 2022. In December of that year, zoning amendments were approved by Taunton city council to encourage transit-oriented development surrounding the new station.

As of September 2023, opening was postponed to mid-2024; at that time construction was sixty-nine percent finished with expected completion by January 2024. Further delays pushed launch back to May 2025 due to complex elements such as elevator installation challenges. Ultimately, construction wrapped up in October 2024.

Service officially began on March 24, 2025. Weekday schedules feature shuttle trains operating between East Taunton and southern endpoints requiring transfers at this station. GATRA introduced limited temporary bus routes upon opening to gauge ridership demand; these transitioned into regular service starting June 2, 2025.

External links

MBTA – East Taunton