Questions & Answers
1. General
2. Timing / Procedures
3. Route
4. Finance / Cost
5. Benefits
6. Property Related
7. Public Information / Further Communication
8. Environment
9. Construction
10. Operational
The Capital Corridor Project aims to re-instate passenger rail between Boston and the New Hampshire communities of Nashua, Merrimack, Bedford, Manchester, Hooksett and the state capitol at Concord.
The advocates of the scheme are the New Hampshire Railroad Revitalization Association (NHRRA). We support the New Hampshire Rail Transit Authority (NHRTA) which is a legislative body created by Governor John Lynch in 2007 to manage the re-introduction of significant passenger and freight rail projects in the state. NHRTA sees the NH Capitol Corridor project as its initial significant project.
NHRRA is seeking to support NHRTA through gaining additional support, and co-promotion from the towns and cities along the proposed route. We are also seeking recognition and support for the project from Pan Am Railways, Amtrak and the Massachusetts Bay Transport Association (MBTA) who will likely be important players in the operation of the line.
The scheme will be promoted to the State of New Hampshire through NHRTA for consideration by the House. Support from all leading state politicians including the Governor’s Office is essential.
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Campaign begins |
SB75 passes creating a NH Rail Transit Authority |
Rail Transit Authority Steering Committee is formed |
Preferred options for service levels and funding are published |
Funding authorization passed in the house and senate |
| Construction begins |
| Train service begins between Boston and Nashua |
| Train service begins between Boston and Manchester |
| Train service begins between Boston and Concord |
There is a long process to go through before the railroad will be operational and this is as much to do with following legal and due process as construction and engineering problems. For example, in addition to the recently passed SB75 that creates the NHRTA, the actual project itself will be subject to additional funding requirements that need to be passed by the New Hampshire state legislature to grant powers to construct it.
This will be a major infrastructure project and it is hard to predict how long the funding process may take. However, it is expected that this may be finished by the middle of 2009. Construction work can then commence in late 2009/early 2010 and take approximately 3 years to complete.
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The outline route has been identified as running between Nashua and Concord. This route has been subject to extensive technical assessments and consultation with property and land owners.
The suggested route, which extends from Lowell to Concord, is a distance of approximately 35 miles (56km).
Stations are planned for Nashua (Pheasant Lane Mall area), Nashua (Downtown), Merrimack, Bedford (for Manchester Airport), Manchester, Hooksett and Concord. The number and location of stations are based on the predicted number of passengers that will use them.
It is envisaged that the railroad project may act as a catalyst for progress on the proposed Boston – Montreal High Speed Rail Link which will use the same route as far as Concord. However this project is a separate initiative.
All the stations and all other railroad support infrastructure will be designed and built to the same legal safety specifications as apply throughout the US’s railroads. For instance, where closed circuit television and public telephones are required to aid security of rail passengers and staff, they will be installed. All stations will be covered by excellent lighting and weather shelters and most will have secure facilities for bicycles, such as racks and lockers.
The line exists and is in use today but only by occasional freight trains. Technical investigations have identified the need to significantly upgrade these structures to provide a suitably reliable passenger rail line.
It is too early to suggest which company will be appointed to operate or maintain the route. However Pan Am Railways, the MBTA and Amtrak will all be involved in the discussions.
It is likely that attracting new freight business to the line will be an important factor in making the project as attractive as possible when requesting state and federal funding.
This is still being discussed and is preferred, but may be cost prohibitive at the outset. It is important that even if single line operation is the initial chosen option, the infrastructure should be built in such a way that a second track can be re-instated at a later time without ripping up the initial single-track.
If all goes well it is hoped that first passenger journeys – as far as Nashua - would be in 2010. At this stage, we foresee that it will be an hourly service traveling between Nashua and Boston.
It is too early at this stage to provide timetable or operator details. A regular and frequent all-day service will be essential if the railway is to make a real impact on the local economy. However economic viability, passenger demand and technical constraints, including available “slots” in the timetable will dictate timing of services.
Safety will be of the utmost importance at all stages. The detailed technical assessment has treated this as a key issue and the design and construction will meet all safety legislation standards.
Access to all stations, trains and car parks will comply with the many statutory instruments that have been produced in the intervening period.
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The capital cost of the project – rebuilding the tracks and stations, upgrading crossings and signals, and acquiring the train sets is estimated at no more than $200m.
NHRRA believes that Federal Government programs may cover up to 80% of the cost. When this factor is combined with local Public Private Partnerships (PPP’s) that encourage local industry to also contribute matching funds to the project - will mean that New Hampshire will have to find between $20m and $30m of the total capital funds.
Assuming that the $30m investment is bonded over 20 years - just like paying a mortgage on a private residence – then the state will need to make cash payments of just over $2m per year.
It is likely – based on experiences with the Downeaster service and other rail projects nationally - that the service itself will create revenues of between 50% and 70% of the annual running costs. This translates into a shortfall of roughly $10m per year. When added to the capital repayments then the total amount of cash needed to build and run the service will be in the region of $10m to $12m per year.
We believe so. The best way to predict the economic benefits for New Hampshire is to look at Maine where the Downeaster has been in operation since 2002. The similarities between the effect of the Downeaster and the likely effects on the Merrimack Valley are pronounced.
Maine is continuing to invest in its rail infrastructure. The Downeaster, like the NH Capital Corridor, costs around $10m per year to run. Maine is in fact extending the Downeaster to Brunswick at a capital cost of an additional $31m. Ridership is up 350% since the service’s inception and is growing significantly on a monthly basis.
Studies into the impact of the Downeaster demonstrate that Maine will generate significant economic benefit from its annual $10m investment over the next 20 years and as a result of continuing passenger rail service. This includes:
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An estimated $7 billion of outside investment in the state’s economy as a result of private industry development projects |
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The creation of over 17,000 new jobs |
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Over 40,000 new residences |
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Over $6m square feet of commercial space |
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Over $200m annually of transportation savings to its residents, most of which will be spent immediately on other goods and services in the local economy |
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Perhaps most importantly the generation of over $70m per year in property taxes that would not have been generated had it not been for the rail service |
Maine expects to generate a positive return on its investment in the Downeaster of over 160% over the long-term. New Hampshire should look for the same or greater impact as a result of investing in the NH Capitol Corridor.
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There is a wide range of benefits that the route would bring to the New Hampshire economy as a whole and particularly those regions around the route corridor.
Creating house building and construction jobs.
Generating new businesses in retail and office related businesses.
Increased access to jobs in our key cities and in Massachusetts.
Stronger ability to attract new businesses to the region.
Reducing reliance on low-wage industries and linking southern New Hampshire to the economy and employment opportunities of Boston .
Helping southern New Hampshire firms in terms of time saving and productivity. |
Cutting road traffic on the main roads in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
Testing has demonstrated that this hourly service to and from Boston city center offers a viable alternative to travelling by car or bus at peak periods. |
Reducing pollution from cars on the roads.
Re-instatement of existing infrastructure prevents green field land-take for new schemes and associated environmental impacts.
Housing options will become available in the New Hampshire region helping relieve pressure on land around Boston. |
Retaining young and attracting new people of all ages to southern New Hampshire to live and work.
An increasing population in these regions brings additional new “spend” from residents in local retailers and on local services.
Improving access from the region to higher education.
Allowing skilled people from Massachusetts access to N.H. cities for work.
Opening up access to Boston job opportunities for people without cars. |
Increases the opportunities for transfer of tourists to and from Boston using Manchester Boston Regional Airport.
Providing tourists arriving by air with the ability to get to other parts of New Hampshire.
Attract tourists to New Hampshire from other parts of the US. |
Commuter service to New Hampshire in the early 1980s was based on a grant and was only an experiment. The belief that the service ended from a lack of passengers stemmed from the financial situation. Ridership dropped when the schedules were changed because of financial outlooks. The schedule was cut back to one round trip a day, with a schedule that didn't work well for commuters. Again, this service only ended because its financial base was used up.
A partnership with services such as the Nashua-Boston express bus could be established similar to that with Concord Trailways and the Amtrak Downeaster, which has benefited both the train and the bus services.
Bus services also stand to gain by providing feeder services from outlying towns into the train service. By integrating the bus and train service schedules and providing passengers with through tickets to include both bus and train segments, passengers would be offered more options, attracting those that would normally find public transportation too inconvenient. This means a win-win situation for both bus and train operators alike. Instead of competing for the same passengers the bus and train companies would work together to create a whole new set of customers.
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Individuals judged to be “affected” by the project will have been contacted by the project’s Consultation Manager. These discussions are naturally a matter for the individual and the Project managers.
This is not a likely result, but discussions will be held with those affected by the proposed route.
We cannot comment on individual property prices although indications from around the country are that property values in sectors with upgraded transit links are beating national averages. You may want to contact your real estate agent.
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Final route recommendations will be available at relevant government offices in due course.
Absolutely. The public will have an opportunity to make comment on the plans, and any such comments will be considered as part of an ongoing consultation process. More information will be added in due course.
The website, nhrra.org, will continue to provide updated information.
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If the project goes ahead, all construction works will be carried out within the legal requirements and the best practicable means will be used to ensure that the environmental impact of constructing the scheme is minimized. The potential impact of the operational scheme in terms of noise and vibration and air quality will be assessed in detail as part of the project. Measures to avoid or reduce all identified impacts will be incorporated into the scheme to ensure that noise and vibration and air quality from operation are reduced to a practicable minimum.
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Proposed construction sites will be identified as part of the ongoing consultation process. This will be done in co-operation with the Councils and landowners along the route.
This is a question that can be dealt with best at the actual procurement stage should the project go ahead. It is likely that service to Nashua, then Manchester, then Concord will be introduced in stages.
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Matters such as ticket prices, exact timetabling, earliest and latest trains will be fixed by the eventual operator of the service.
While it is too early to suggest a timetable, journey times are estimated on the Route page of this website.
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