South Coast rail start date in question again

After previously delaying the start of South Coast Rail passenger service by about six months, MBTA officials now say they are reassessing the schedule and do not have an updated timeline to share.

The Herald News reported Thursday morning that an MBTA official declined to share a timeline during a community meeting in Fall River, and said that "July is unlikely" for service to begin.

A T spokesperson appeared to confirm that the already-delayed start date is now in limbo.

"In conjunction with a recent change in the project's management, a new project executive has been tasked with evaluating all aspects of the project, including the schedule," MBTA spokesperson Joe Pesaturo told the News Service. "The MBTA will share more information once this review is complete."

T officials declined to answer additional questions Thursday about who was reevaluating the project and what prompted that decision.

The $1.1 billion first phase of the South Coast Rail project, which will add commuter rail service linking Boston to New Bedford, Fall River and nearby communities, was originally slated to open to passengers by the end of 2023.

In September, MBTA officials pushed the target launch date to summer 2024.