New Hampshire's New Rail Authority Has A Lot to Do to Bring Commuter Rail to Nashua

By David Darman on Monday, July 30, 2007.

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New Hampshire has established a new Rail Authority to focus on bringing commuter rail to Nashua and Manchester.

This is something rail supporters have been working on for some time.

But establishing the Authority is just the first step.

A lot has to happen before anyone in New Hampshire will be able to hop a train in Nashua for Lowell or Boston.

New Hampshire Public Radioâ€™s David Darman has more.

When state and local officials gathered in Nashua last week to kick off the rail authority, the mood was definitely upbeat.

Governor John Lynch signed the authority into existence.

Reestablishing rail in new Hampshire, is crucial to the economic growth as a state. It will help reduce congestion on our roads, improving public safety, and reducing air pollution at the same time. It will help improve the quality of life our citizens get to enjoy in new Hampshire and help the transportation networks not only of this region but also the entire state.

Before the trains can roll, the authority is going to have to get up and running.

Thatâ€™s no small task.

27 members need to be appointed and theyâ€™re , coming from places like Nashua, Merrimack, Dover, Exeter, Franklin and Berlin.

David Preece of the Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission says once the panel is in place, the train service canâ€™t be established until some big issues are resolved.

It all depends upon whether we can come up with a revenue source for the operation of the commuter rail and to come up with a liability cap .

The project needs nearly 80 million dollars.

Part of that would pay for liability insurance that would kick in should anyone be injured by the train or the tracks.

As for funding the project, the state has made one million dollars available for building train stations in Nashua and Manchester.

Steve Williams of the Nashua Planning Commission says the federal government is also a potential source for millions of dollars.

Even though the feds plan to cut funds in 2009 for highways and bridges, Williams says those cuts wonâ€™t affect the part of the federal budget that deals with trains.

And so the rail projects are probably going to be less affected by those funding shortfalls at the federal level than say the i-93 project might be or some of those other major road projects in the state.

Backers of the commuter train say they think Nashuaâ€™s economic conditions will improve if the train is ultimately reestablished.

Peter Griffin of New Hampshireâ€™s Railroad Revitalization Association recently stood at a train crossing near where an old downtown station once stood.

As he looked around, he said he sees many chances for redevelopment for the old factories.

These one and two story buildings that are mixed in with the industrial buildings are really underutilized, the land is underutilized. Youâ€™ll see some of these grand, Victorian mill buildings being converted to artistâ€™s lofts, office buildings, condos, because they would be easily accessible, you could walk to the rail station.

But the new rail authority will have its work cut out to make the rail station and the commuter line a reality.

In addition to securing government funding, it will also have the power to borrow money.

Last week Governor Lynch told local officials that he is ready to see the Nashua rail project take shape.

And I look forward to someday going with all of you via rail to Fenway Park to watch the Red Soxâ€¦(applause) I donâ€™t think we can get it set up in time mr mayor for this world series but maybe a future world series.

The most optimistic rail supporters estimate the train could be up and running as early as 2010.

Of course, it could take longer.

But Red Sox fans like Governor Lynch and Mayor Bernie Streeter are known for being patient.