MBTA manager plans another South Coast Rail timeline update. Here's what might be coming.

Phillip Eng, general manager of the MBTA, will share updates on the South Coast Rail project during a public meeting in Taunton next week.

Eng will be at Taunton City Hall on Sept. 18 at 6 p.m., where he will speak to the public about “construction and the deliverable timeline,” according to Maya Bingaman, communications manager for Eng’s office.

Construction is nearly complete on the $1 billion South Coast Rail project, which will connect passenger trains to Fall River, New Bedford and Taunton for the first time since 1958, linking the region to Boston.

Here are the latest updates to the project:

What is Eng expected to say at the meeting?

It’s unknown, but Eng may have an update on the status of East Taunton Station, which has been beset by construction delays.

At a public meeting with Eng in June, East Taunton Station was declared 75% complete. It is still not finished.

East Taunton Station's design is more complicated than the other stations on the line, and includes an elevator; past statements from MBTA officials have blamed “material delays" and “challenges getting the elevators to work properly” for the delays.

Full Build: Even when it opens, South Coast Rail may never be completely 'finished.' Here's why.

How complete are the South Coast Rail stations?

The South Coast Rail project involved the construction of six new platforms for passengers – Fall River Depot, Freetown, New Bedford, Church Street in New Bedford, East Taunton and a new Middleborough station. There are also two layover stations, where trains are parked for the night and work crews arrive for their shifts, in Fall River and New Bedford.

All the stations except East Taunton are now substantially complete and have been issued certificates of occupancy.

Fall River and Freetown’s stations have been complete since 2022.

What is the status of New Bedford’s pedestrian bridge?

Bingaman said the bridge is 60% complete. Last week, crews began removing falsework, temporary supports put in place while the concrete decking was installed.

“The New Bedford pedestrian bridge design is the result of a years-long collaboration between the MBTA and the City and is anticipated to be an attractive gateway to the city, allowing for safe pedestrian traffic across busy Route 18 to the station," Bingaman said.

She said an elevator is currently being installed; stairs will begin being installed in October.

“Connecting Purchase Street to New Bedford station at Whale's Tooth, the new bridge will provide folks with safe access from the downtown area to the station and the ferry service, building out the local transportation network," Bingaman said. “When complete, the city will own and maintain the structure.”

Construction work is ongoing weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Purchase Street between Pearl and Willis; near the site of the former MassHire Greater New Bedford Career Center on Acushnet Avenue; and at Route 18 at the Purchase Street exit.

What else is happening with the South Coast Rail project?

An extensive testing phase is currently underway, which involves trains being run along all corridors of the South Coast Rail line.

The MBTA has asked residents to stay off the right-of-way and to be aware that commuter trains may be passing through at very high speeds.

Other stations have punch-list items to complete, which are minor fixes, repairs or alterations.

What happens after the South Coast Rail project is done?

In the works for decades, South Coast Rail construction began in earnest in 2019. It uses diesel-powered trains to connect to Boston via the Middleboro/Lakeville line.

This project is meant to be Phase 1 of a two-phase plan to connect the SouthCoast to Boston via passenger rail. The second phase, called the Full Build, involves using electric-powered trains to connect to the Stoughton line; that phase of the project would cost over $3 billion but provide a faster ride and be more environmentally friendly.

MBTA officials originally scheduled Phase 1 to accept passengers by late 2023; delays pushed this timetable to mid-2024, and in June Eng announced that the first passengers could likely ride the train in May 2025.

Money has not yet been fully allocated for the Full Build.

In an interview with “Boston Public Radio” on WGBH that aired Monday, Eng addressed the Full Build phase by noting that he is currently looking at the MBTA’s capital improvement plans.

“We’re looking at five, 10, 15, 20 years out. I need to make sure that I don’t lose sight of maintaining and ensuring that our existing infrastructure is functioning as designed and what the public deserves and expects," Eng said. “I need to make sure that any commitments that we may have made, plan to make, don’t take away from making sure that we maintain our system.”

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: MBTA manager Eng plans South Coast Rail public meeting; latest updates