Much work done - and to be done - in Worcester
Coming off the heels from one of the most consequential elections of our lifetime, I can’t help feeling encouraged for Worcester and our commonwealth’s future. The stakes are higher than ever, and the voters have elected us to deliver for their families and communities. I am incredibly honored and proud to be a part of Worcester’s deeply committed and effective legislative delegation.
Since I was first elected to office, we’ve seen great transformation within our city. We now have a first-class educational facility in the new Nelson Place Elementary School; the new Doherty High School is under construction; Worcester State University has a brand-new wellness center; there are nonstop express trains running from Worcester to Boston and back in an hour and nonstop flights to and from New York City in an hour; the Indian Hill Park reconstruction includes a new playground, softball field, irrigation system, sports lighting and other major improvements; and the biotech industry is booming with a new, 46-acre biomanufacturing campus currently under construction and a major expansion at Massachusetts Biomedical Initiative’s biomedical center on Briden Street.
That is why it should come as no surprise that in its most recent rankings, U.S. News and World Report listed Worcester among the top 100 best places to live in the United States – ahead of Chicago, St. Louis and Orlando. The report enthused, “With its affordable housing, green parks, quality hospitals and proximity to a dozen highly esteemed colleges and universities, there is a unique vitality to this metro area…”
None of this happens in a vacuum and I’m reminded of something Gov. Deval Patrick used to share: “Elections matter and leadership matters.” Our commitment to improving Worcester can only happen with the coordinated support of our electorate, and I am dedicated to continuing our work together.
We must invest further in our education system. Our new schools will ensure our students have the best opportunity to succeed in a globally connected workforce, and the vast majority of students who graduate from a Massachusetts high school or university stay in Massachusetts. My wife, Erin, and I are incredibly proud to be the parents of four Worcester Public Schools graduates (Erin and I also graduated from WPS) and we’ve seen firsthand how important their education is in preparing them for the global economy. Three of our kids are attending Worcester State University, and our oldest recently graduated UMass-Amherst and is working in Massachusetts.
Every dollar that goes into improving our schools (retaining effective teachers, upgrading classrooms and labs, and replacing aging infrastructure), is paid back in future dividends. When a graduate from one of our schools in Worcester chooses to stay in our great city, they may end up working at one of our hospitals, biotech companies, theaters, restaurants or schools. That is good for the entire local economy, but does not happen without committed support and effort.
In order to encourage families to stay here, we must also invest in our transportation system. After commuter rail service was reduced during the pandemic, I heard from constituents about the need for further express train service from Worcester to Boston. This led me to securing $50 million for the electrification of the Worcester Commuter Line in a recent transportation bond bill. These funds will help modernize and ensure our trains run quickly and efficiently.
While I’m encouraged to hear that the Heart to Hub express train has returned and we are nearly back to pre-pandemic rail service, we need to have more dedicated trains to service this line and to expand others. The commonwealth has an opportunity to create a new transport hub that will unlock another tier of Worcester’s economic potential and expand our industrial reach. By expediting the investment for West Station in Boston, Worcester will be more closely connected with Boston and have a direct connection to Cambridge and Somerville. This will link Worcester’s burgeoning biotech industry with hundreds of other biotech companies in the Boston-Cambridge region. It will also bridge our top-tier health care systems and our premier higher education institutions with the region.
The current timeline for West Station’s completion is too far out (recent estimates have claimed it may take until 2040 before it opens). I plan to work with the incoming Healey administration on expediting all the processes involved to narrow the time frame for West Station. We have one of the most innovative economies in the world and I believe that this is something everyone can get behind. I invite anyone who is willing to join me in my advocacy for this transformative project.
The transformations and investments we’ve fought for over the last decade have helped position Worcester as the true Heart of the Commonwealth, in every sense of the phrase. Thank you for allowing me to continue to serve you and our beloved city.
John J. Mahoney, D-Worcester, is state representative for the 13th Worcester District.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: State Rep. John J. Mahoney on Worcester's progress and goals for new year
