The MBTA has been toying with the idea of combining the Shirley and Ayer commuter rail station for a few years now. it is to the point that it made it into the capital improvement plans for the Fitchburg line proposed through the next decade.

The proposed site for the combined station would be at the main entrance to what use to be Fort Devens which is now just Devens. The MBTA should seriously consider this due to the fact that a major pharmaceutical company just broke ground on a 750 million dollar project to build a manufacturing plant for the company that would employ 350 people to start with.

There is no way the MBTA can get all of the people who would be commuting there to take the train there on a daily basis but it does warrant the combined station to be there along with more and better service to that area. The MBTA would end up making out on the deal by getting people who are currently commuting to Devens who have to drive there due to a lack of access through public transportation but would prefer to use public transportation.

The MBTA, if combining the Shirley and Ayer Stations should think about offering bus service between the station and various points in Devens but if there is a regional bus company already in place then they should think about entering a contract that give supplemental service or dealing with a specific part of the service area.