On December 2, 2025, the Interim Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation (MassDOT) and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng issued a formal letter to local and state officials in Reading, announcing a significant shift in the long-discussed Reading Station Turnback Track project. The letter confirms that the MBTA has rescinded its Notice of Intent (NOI) for the proposed Vine Street site and will no longer pursue that location for turnback infrastructure.

The MBTA has officially withdrawn its Notice of Intent (NOI) for the proposed Turnback Track project near Vine Street in Reading - marking the second time the proposal has been withdrawn without prejudice, meaning the MBTA can refile the project again at any time.

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 Town of Reading Select Board will hold a special public meeting on Monday, October 27, 2025, to discuss the MBTA’s proposed Turnback Track project and its potential impact on the community.

The MBTA has submitted 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.