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Comprehensive Master Plan

Land Use and Development

Like Northeastern Boulevard, Broad Street can benefit from overall
branding and a more coherent urban identity. A primary goal is to better
utilize the area relative to Route 3 and encourage active commercial
uses.

Recommendation 2 Recommendation 3
Timeframe: Near-term Timeframe: Near-term

Consider form-based zoning to Consider the relative importance
create a more coherent urban of ground-floor retail versus
design sense to redevelopment ground-floor industrial/

projects. warehousing, balancing job

creation versus amenity creation.
- Create a targeted form-based
zoning overlay district as
an optional alternative for
developers that provides
additional incentives for
redevelopment.

Moderately auto-dominant retail

KY

Walkable center

Residential area

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“ Continuous public
realm and green
connection

Broad Street Visioning Concept

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An affordable, safe, and well-connected
transportation and mobility network Is a critical
component of a vibrant and livable city. Providing
equitable multimodal options that meet the needs

of Nashua’s diverse residents and workforce will
not only enhance accessibility throughout the

city’s many neighborhoods, but promotes a strong
economy by connecting people to jobs and services.

Nashua Today:
Mobility and Transit

Nashua is primarily a car-
dominated city, but there are
ongoing efforts in place to expand
mobility and access options
throughout. The City is dedicated
to making Nashua more walkable
and bikeable for residents
through several initiatives
including widening shoulders
and installing bike lanes and
sidewalks, expanding rideshare
and microbility, and planning for

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Major Arterials

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Local Roads y

MAP LEGEND
Amherst

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us Routes

Gity Parks and Conservation Areas

SOOT Mapped Trails

KEY AMENITIES

Education/Academic
Librany
Athletic/Recreation
Community Facility
Events/Programming
Medica

Grocery

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Public Transportation Point

Key Mobility Networks

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Comprehensive Master Plan

Mobility and Transit

2020 Bike/Ped Project

This NRPC-led project outlines
key issues and opportunities
surrounding bicycle and
pedestrian amenities in

the city, and through data
analysis, public feedback,
and City input, provides
recommendations for
addressing these under broad
categories: major bike-ped
infrastructure, intersection
safety improvements,
resolving network gaps,
wayfinding, and overall
neighborhood solutions.

transit oriented development
(TOD). Outcomes of these efforts
are already visible throughout the
city including in the Riverfront and
Minefalls area, where there is an
extensive sidewalk network and
well-utilized walking and biking
trails. A next step for Nashua

will be to better connect these
networks to other transit systems
like the bus service and future
commuter rail stations, and expand
TOD in commercial corridors such
as Amherst Street and the Daniel
Webster Hwy.

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First and last mile
connectivity

Bicycle connections can play
an important role in extending
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network. Providing continuous,
dedicated bicycle facilities to
connect residential areas and
job centers to commuter rail
stations can help shift trips
away from automobiles and
encourage more sustainable
travel options.

40 to 44 minutes

35 to 39 minutes | >

3%

30 to 34 minutes
13%

25 to 29 minutes
6%

60 to 89 minutes

7%, a 10%
45 to 59 minutes

a

20 to 24 minutes
N%

https://imagine.nashuanh.gov

Scenario development around future potential commuter rail sites
present ideas for improving first and last mile connectivity by
expanding bike and pedestrian infrastructure and improving the overall
public realm experience and walkability around multi-transit areas.

Commuting Patterns

Like many smaller American
cities, a wide range of travel times
to work (by workers who did

not work at home) is present in
Nashua. Commuters tend to prefer
commutes that are approximately
half an hour or less, when
possible. The large percentage of
commuters traveling more than
45 minutes shows that Nashua’s
employment shed draws from
across both states, but is alsoa
sign that the City has much room
to try to focus on developing more
jobs within its borders

Travel Time to Work in Nashua

90 minutes or more: Less than 5 minutes: <1%
4%

5 to 9 minutes

10 to 14 minutes
18%

15 to 19 minutes
18%

Source: American Community Survey 2019 1-year Estimates

Future of Rail

Nashua has been at the forefront
of advocating for rail connection
between Boston and New
Hampshire along the northern end
of the NH Capitol Corridor. The
rail connection will utilize existing
transportation infrastructure,
including the Pan Am Railway,

US Route 3 and I-93. Nashua

is exploring potential stops
throughout the City such as the
recently purchased property
located at 25 Crown Street in East
Hollis and along DW Hwy. Re-
establishing this historic passenger
rail connection will improve
regional connectivity and address
concerns around mobility and
economic development.

The scenarios for development
around these future potential
commuter rail sites in the Land Use
section present ideas for improving
first and last mile connectivity by
expanding bike and pedestrian
infrastructure and improving the
overall public realm experience
and walkability around multi-
transit areas.

Comprehensive Master Plan

Mobility and Transit

Rail road by East Hollis

Safety and ee TET UT |
The New Hampshire Capitol

Infrastructure Corridor Project studies

strategic rail and bus transit
investments to improve
(oroyaTarreidelplwel Col ar oma atom ace aTI cs
stretch between Boston, MA
and Concord, NH. Even though
a multimodal transportation
network already exists

along the Capitol Corridor,
demand is increasingly
higher than capacity. The
enhanced transportation
network is meant to support
communities along the
corridor from an economic,
environmental and socially
sustainable perspective. The
Nashua Regional Planning
Commission (NRPC) has been
Wola <inreMedokolN Ar UiapmaNtem NeaU]
Hampshire Department of
Transportation (NHDOT) to
support this project.

While Nashua’s means of getting
to work is still predominantly the
car, the City’s efforts to quantify,
analyze, and improve conditions
for bicycles and pedestrians area
fundamental component of shifting
mode of transport away from

the car. The City’s research into
infrastructure and repair needs
for sidewalks, curb ramps, and
street condition is an important
first step. Aligning those findings
with the broader goals of the
master plan—areas for larger-
scale improvements, citywide
strategies for redevelopment
versus preservation—will ensure
that capital budgets are fiscally
responsible, and that public works
projects help work alongside
other longer-range planning
considerations.

Many of the designated bike
and pedestrian areas in the City
can only be accessed by driving
or traveling by bike or foot in
unsafe conditions. A Citywide bike
and pedestrian plan would help
prioritize where connections and
improvements should be made and
how to better utilize the limited
grant funding available, such as
TAP. Safer travel would benefit
all residents and visitors but it
would especially help the aging
population age in place.

Main Street bike lane

ifvetets601) Nashua \

Livable Nashua

Livable Nashua is a citizen
centered tool that allows the
City to increase the levels of
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of topics including; water
quality, access to healthy
food, and solar energy. The
tool details statistics to help
track progress on actions
through time and encourages
community members to

be part of the solution by
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making recommendations

Cola eCoUnl (enV ele) (em xoreImolennale
City. Check it out at www.
livablenashua.org

Electric Vehicle Registrations
Nashua has experienced a
significant increase in the
number of EVs registered
between 2015 and 2019, with
the current total at more than
400. In addition to private
charging stations, there

are 10 locations in Nashua
equipped with 1-3 public
charging stations each. The
City of Nashua anticipates

the number of EVs and public
charging stations to increase in
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Sustainable
Transportation and
Emerging Trends

Imagine Nashua aims to promote
and encourage sustainable
transportation options and

a well-connected mobility
network in the city, advancing

and linking economic efficiency,
environmental protection, and
social equity. Transportation
planning for Nashua must consider
reciprocal effects on the physical
environment, be cost-effective
and adaptable to changing

needs, and overall improve the
quality of life for residents. The
City has set larger resiliency and
sustainability goals through the
Livable Nashua Initiative, that
actively promotes environmentally
sustainable transportation
options. This is important, as
currently transportation accounts
for 47.4% of New Hampshire’s
GreenHouse Gas (GHG) emissions.
Nashua’s Environment and Energy
Committee continues to work
towards bringing cleaner forms

https://imagine.nashuanh.gov

of transportation to the city -
promoting and encouraging ride
sharing options, and providing
residents with a suite of mobility
options. In 2018, two hundred
turquoise-colored bikes were
stationed around the city to kick off
Nashua’s four-month pilot program
with VeoRide, an adaptable,
dockless bike-share system.
Electric scooters were added to the
fleet in 2019 and returned in 2021
through an agreement with Bird.
Nashua has also experienced a
significant increase in the number
of EVs registered between 2015
and 2019, with the current total

at more than 400. The City sees
the transition to EVs and more
renewable energy sources as a key
strategy to a more Livable Nashua.

Electric Vehicle Registrations in Nashua

500

400

300

Registrations

200

100

am

2015 2016 2017

Source: https://www.livablenashua.org

2018 2019 5-Year
Total

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Nashua Transit System has 2.new electric hybrid buses

Master Plan Nashua Fire Rescue, NH

« Eight Pumpers

= Four Aerial Trucks

« Vehicles assigned to staff and support functions
» Station Generators

= Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)

The Mechanical Division also offers in-house welding services and responds the Mobile Air Truck to multiple
alarm emergencies. While on the scene, Mechanical Division staff are responsible for refilling SCBA and
refueling apparatus. This Division also provides snow removal for all six fire stations and Fire Alarm
Headquarters.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS

Nashua Fire Rescue has done a good job providing and maintaining facilities and apparatus for its firefighters
given the budget constraints in recent years.

Facilities

Six fire stations, Fire Alarm Headquarters, and a Training Facility with a burn building make up the fixed
facility capabilities of Nashua Fire Rescue. Appropriately designed facilities provide safe living amenities for
personnel and house appropriate assets for deployment in order to provide timely service.

ESCI visited each of the Fire Rescue facilities in July 2020. In general, the Nashua fire stations were in fair to
good condition and categorized according to the following criteria:

ESC) Emergency Services
Consulting International 93