Election 2006: Hope for NH service?

Last night's landslide in the midterm elections was also a landslide in New Hampshire, where in addition to taking both US House seats, the Democratic Party took control of the governor's office and both houses of the state legislature. Does anyone know if NH Democrats friendlier to the idea of funding extended MBTA service to Nashua and Manchester than their Republican predecessors?

Their official platform mentions public transportation as an economic, environmental, and energy independence issue, but gives no specifics.

Even if the new all Democratic leadership under the dome in Concord is more pro-mass transit in general and commuter rail specifically, it is unlikely that there will be any funds availble from the state in the next two years, due to the following:

1. There is a provison in the state constitution that bars gasoline tax money from being spent on anything other than highways. This was litigated in 2005 and the State Supreme Court ruled that gas tax money could not be used for commuter rail. Therefore, any passenger rail funding would have to come from the so-called "general fund".

2. The State Supreme Court has again ruled that the state aid to education formula does not meet the requirements for education under the state constitution and has given the State Legislature until June 30, 2007 to come up with an acceptable plan or the Court will impose a plan.
It seems to appear that current state revenues will not be adequate to fund any plan acceptable to the Court. Anyone following NH state politics will recognize what is known as the "pledge" that has to be taken by any candidate for Governor not to approve any general sales or income taxes. With that in mind, it is unlikely that there will be any funds available for any rail projects.

3. NH has three major highway projects on tap over the next six years. One project will widen Interstate 93 from Manchester to Salem. Another will widen the highway and bridges on the Spaulding Turnpike in Newington and Dover. A third project will widen the Spaulding Turnpike in Rochester from two to four lanes. The total cost of these three projects is more than $800 million. While much of the funding will be federal funds, there will be major state funds needed to match the federal payment. There is some question whether the gasoline tax and highway tolls will be adequate for this match.

To summarize, it appears to me that there will be no substantial funds
available, even if the majority of the politicans in Concord are in favor of same. I hope I am mistaken, but don't bet the farm...

Dick

Or Let MBCR opperate the Commuter Rail all the way up to NH and make a stop in Atkinson or Plastow, NH up towards CPF-273

I know i know, I wish though!

While I don't see it necessarily happening, I wouldn't give up complete hope.

There is a mjor movement afoot on the New Hampshire side to draw traffic away from Logan to Manchester Airport. Ther eis also a push in Massachusetts to send more air traffic to other regional airports. There already exists an active line that goes from Boston through Nashua to Manchester, passing not too far form the airport (albeit on the wrong side of the river). It would not be that unreasonable to promote a frequent rail service that would connect Boston to Manchester Airport, with stops in Nashua and Manchester downtown, at teh least. You could also make a pretty efficient connection to other parts of the commonwealth with such a line. It would take some politic will to get it through, but I think there might be enough wins in it for everyone to get some politicians acting on that project.

If commuter rail is extended into New Hampshire, wouldn't that make at least some of the highway project unnecessary?

"already exists an active line that goes from Boston through Nashua to Manchester, passing not too far form the airport (albeit on the wrong side of the river)."

Same side of the river, but would still require an intermediate transport.

IIRC the terrain between the rail line and the terminal is hilly.

GP40MC 1116 wrote:Or Let MBCR opperate the Commuter Rail all the way up to NH and make a stop in Atkinson or Plastow, NH up towards CPF-273

I know i know, I wish though!

Yeah, that's a good idea, all the way to Plaistow or Newmarket. And add Rosemont/495 to that Line while Amtrak's DE continues to Portland.

Bring back the M&L. but how do you replace miles of track and how do you protect a railroad crossing a runway. You can't get any better for airport access than that.

Lincoln78 wrote:"already exists an active line that goes from Boston through Nashua to Manchester, passing not too far form the airport (albeit on the wrong side of the river)."

Same side of the river, but would still require an intermediate transport.

IIRC the terrain between the rail line and the terminal is hilly.

Since i know the railroad which runs from Manchester-Concord, I wish they had passenger service it would be SO much easier than going to Haverhill all the time

I was thinking more where airport road hits perimiter road. And it wouldn't be that hard to build a bridge for something like a airport people mover there. But I suppose you could just move the station up a bit, and run a shuttle bus back and forth. To be honest, I would bet that if you rant that on an hourly schedule with stops in Lowell and Woburn and Nashua, you'd make a killing.

I was reading the minutes of the last meeting of the NHRRA, and they suggest that the first service out of Nashua will be a shuttle train with a transfer at Lowell. Not that great, but better than nothing. Also, they envision being run by Pan Am, not the MBTA.

Does Pan Am (the airline) serve Manchester airport? If so, perhaps some useful synergy can occur here.

Ron Newman wrote:Does Pan Am (the airline) serve Manchester airport? If so, perhaps some useful synergy can occur here.

Pan Am Airways does not service the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport. The only airport I know of that it leaves to/from in the NE area is Pease and Hanscom. Looking online they only fly to/from these destinations

Portsmouth, NH-Pease International Airport
Trenton, NJ
Bedford,MA-Hanscom Field
Baltamore/Washington BWI-Baltimore Washington International Airport
Elmira, NY-Elmira-Corning Regional Airport
Orlando,FL-Orlando/Sanford International Airport

It's "interesting" Pan Am Airways-Clipper Connection, Operated by Boston-Maine Airways, Corp http://www.flypanam.com

Looks as if they are based out of Portsmouth,NH

Dick H wrote:Even if the new all Democratic leadership under the dome in Concord is more pro-mass transit in general and commuter rail specifically, it is unlikely that there will be any funds availble from the state in the next two years, due to the following:

1. There is a provison in the state constitution that bars gasoline tax money from being spent on anything other than highways. This was litigated in 2005 and the State Supreme Court ruled that gas tax money could not be used for commuter rail. Therefore, any passenger rail funding would have to come from the so-called "general fund".

2. The State Supreme Court has again ruled that the state aid to education formula does not meet the requirements for education under the state constitution and has given the State Legislature until June 30, 2007 to come up with an acceptable plan or the Court will impose a plan.
It seems to appear that current state revenues will not be adequate to fund any plan acceptable to the Court. Anyone following NH state politics will recognize what is known as the "pledge" that has to be taken by any candidate for Governor not to approve any general sales or income taxes. With that in mind, it is unlikely that there will be any funds available for any rail projects.

3. NH has three major highway projects on tap over the next six years. One project will widen Interstate 93 from Manchester to Salem. Another will widen the highway and bridges on the Spaulding Turnpike in Newington and Dover. A third project will widen the Spaulding Turnpike in Rochester from two to four lanes. The total cost of these three projects is more than $800 million. While much of the funding will be federal funds, there will be major state funds needed to match the federal payment. There is some question whether the gasoline tax and highway tolls will be adequate for this match.

To summarize, it appears to me that there will be no substantial funds
available, even if the majority of the politicans in Concord are in favor of same. I hope I am mistaken, but don't bet the farm...

Dick

You forgot one more project in the works… The widening of the I93 corridor in the: Bow, NH (Rte 89) and Concord, NH area.

GP40MC 1116 wrote:Or Let MBCR opperate the Commuter Rail all the way up to NH and make a stop in Atkinson or Plastow, NH up towards CPF-273

I know i know, I wish though!

Bernie: that might not be far off from actually happening. That would be the least inexpensive project and the quickest one to take effect.

Red Wing wrote:Bring back the M&L. but how do you replace miles of track and how do you protect a railroad crossing a runway. You can't get any better for airport access than that.

You can't get any closer to the truth. The M&L branch runs parallel with one of the runways with the terminal just on the other side; A underground tunnel connecting the rail station with the terminal would be constructed. There will be no grade crossing with the runway as is the runway itself is about 10ft or so feet higher than the surrounding landscape. The state has already come up with 2 options for this section of the M&L branch.
1. Tunnel under the runway and keep the original ROW course, also eliminating some grade crossings.
2. Relocate the ROW around the section of the runway but will add more grade crossings to the corridor (a corridor already loaded with grade crossings).

CComMack wrote:Last night's landslide in the midterm elections was also a landslide in New Hampshire, where in addition to taking both US House seats, the Democratic Party took control of the governor's office and both houses of the state legislature. Does anyone know if NH Democrats friendlier to the idea of funding extended MBTA service to Nashua and Manchester than their Republican predecessors?

Their official platform mentions public transportation as an economic, environmental, and energy independence issue, but gives no specifics.

Well personally I'd like to see the Nashua extension but further improvements are needed down the line to make the ride 'fast & furious'. That is a long haul to Nashua.

The sweep by the Democrats is not positive in all aspects. we all have to worry about higher taxes and the status-quo on key issues like immigration and resulting population explosion projected from it.