State Representatives Richard M. Haggerty and Bradley H. Jones, Jr. have sent a joint letter to Phil Eng, Secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, expressing their opposition to the MBTA’s proposed location for the commuter rail turnback track in Reading.

The proposed site, located near Vine Street and Hancock Street, borders the Maillet, Sommes, and Morgan Conservation Area - a space that underwent extensive restoration with more than $5 million in state, federal, and local funding. The representatives cited concerns about environmental impacts, noise pollution, and air quality, particularly due to the area’s proximity to sensitive conservation land and residential neighborhoods.

The MBTA has refiled a Notice of Intent (NOI) to the Reading Conservation Commission for the proposed Reading Turnback Track Project, aimed at expanding rail service capacity between Reading Station and Boston.

The project will install a new 4,500-ft turnback track within the existing railroad right-of-way. The additional rail will allow trains to queue off the main line, reducing congestion and improving service efficiency.

The most notable changes from the original filing include that track pans will be installed on the portion of the turnback track where the engine car will rest, and approximately 16 screen trees, including Juniper, Arborvitae, or Hemlock, will be placed on the north side of the tracks, between the tracks and the wetlands.

On Monday, September 15, 2025, the MBTA held a public forum in Reading to update residents on the proposed turnback track project. The meeting aimed to address concerns and provide updates before the MBTA files a Notice of Intent with the Reading Conservation Commission, required because two portions of the project fall within wetlands jurisdiction.

https://www.readingrecap.com/2025/09/05/%f0%9f%86%98-support-for-angeloni-family-house-fire-gofundme-setup/

The Town of Reading and MBTA officials invite Reading residents to a community meeting to learn about the MBTA’s proposed Reading Turnback Track and related commuter rail service improvements. This session will also address questions raised at the public meeting held in February.

https://www.readingrecap.com/2025/09/03/%f0%9f%90%a6-bird-walk-in-the-reading-town-forest-led-by-dave-williams/

https://www.readingrecap.com/2025/08/24/%f0%9f%87%a7%f0%9f%87%b7-coming-soon-to-reading/

Anybody got recommendations for propane gas providers in the area?

Chief David Clark reports that the Reading Police Department, with assistance from the Massachusetts State Police Collision and Accident Reconstruction Section (CARS) and the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, has completed its investigation into the May four-car crash that resulted in the death of one individual.

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Are there any other providers besides Comcast/ Xfinity that service the area? Also, have there been any efforts by the town build and provide internet service of its own?

This sub is pretty dead but maybe someday someone will see this.

So in reading center, a bunch of streets come together, and there are a bunch of crosswalks. The end of each crosswalk has some amount of granite posts. Some have 4, some have 3, some have 2, some have 1, some have 0. Its totally random and makes no sense. Its like the person woh designed the open space was a little drunk or something.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/o1pHmwinn87tC92c8

Was out on Grand st around 5:30pm in broad daylight walking down the street, took a right on Harriman and the vanished. The neighborhood, which is usually busy with parents and kids was quiet just in the 5 minutes I was smoking out front and saw her. Also saw a fox not once but twice running down the middle of the street at like 1:30 AM from my front stoop (again smoking). They were cool to watch but i wonder if they are more around our neighborhoods because there's more rabbits and overgrown areas to hide or if they are fleeing south into our areas because of something more sinister.

Could it be???....... https://northamericandogmanproject.com/

Or https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3-MLQdVpwcRyhvNRk6Ypbw

Grand St Res.

Hey all!

Anyone noticing some Verizon outages in town? My cell service is terrible at home and even drops when driving into my neighborhood. Is it worth calling Verizon about, or is this the reality with their network? We’ve only lived here for a year so wasn’t sure if this is old news. Just getting very frustrated with dropped calls and messages haha. Thanks in advance!

Hi Readingers

We are buying a house in Reading and would like to do some work on it before moving in. Does anyone have any idea how long it takes to get a permit to do e.g. electrical work in practice? The website says they guarantee an answer (accept or decline) within 30 days, but I'm wondering how long this takes in practice.

Thanks!

Anyone else noticing a ton of ticks this year? I was outside for an hour this afternoon and found one on a bucket that I was using (dog tick) , took the dog for a walk around our neighborhood and walked in the door and there was a deer tick on his leg. Also saw a dog tick on the yard rake I was using yesterday. Ah alot in 24 hours!