Passenger Rail Options for Nashua
1. NH Capital Corridor — led by State of NH in partnership with Mass
DOT/MBTA to operate passenger rail from Concord to Boston with
one or more stops in Nashua
2. Boston Surface Railroad Company - a public-private partnership
(PPP) to operate passenger rail from Concord to Boston, with one
stop in Bedford and one in Nashua
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Imperative for Passenger Rail
Environmental and Social
* Mitigate adverse environmental impacts resulting from increased congestion on
roadways (e.g. decrease CO2 emissions) and position Nashua as leader in
environmental sustainability
¢ Support development patterns/lifestyle choices that retain and attract younger
demographic
° Offer transit choices for residents of all ages through retirement
¢ Promote Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) to mitigate patterns of sprawl
development
Imperative for Passenger Rail
Mobility
¢ Improve mobility of labor to/from Nashua
¢ Improve flow of tourists, patrons of the arts, retail shoppers and others to Nashua
* Increase students to/from educational institutions in Nashua, Lowell, Cambridge,
Boston
* Increase modal connectivity with road, bus, bike, walking systems in Nashua
* Increase transit ridership/mode-share by expanding existing rider base and
attracting new riders
Imperative for Passenger Rail
Economic Development
* Create value of land adjacent to and surrounding station = increased taxes
* Build economic activity and future improvement opportunities to
underdeveloped corridor (Bridge Street/Crown Street)
¢ Support industry development — stronger connections to Boston market and key
clusters in life sciences, healthcare, financial services, information technology,
educational services
¢ Meet talent demands — improved flow of labor to/from Nashua businesses
Context and Status of Passenger Rail in
Nashua
Meetings, Visits, Planning
¢ Met monthly to review likelihood and feasibility of passenger rail
options for City of Nashua
¢ Briefed and convened with Mayor and City staff to review options and
assess progress
¢ Communicated with other state, regional and local rail interest to
assess roles and partnership opportunities (NH Department of
Transportation, NRPC, SNHPC, NH Rail Authority, legislative
delegation)
Role and Purpose
* Committee is charged with making recommendations and development of
a strategy to the Mayor and Board of Alderman to bring passenger rail to
Nashua.
¢ Members
* Two (2) Members of the Board of Aldermen - Brian McCarthy & Mike O’Brien
* One (1) Representative from Nashua Regional Planning Commission - Jay Minkarah
¢ One (1) Representative from Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce - John Stabile
)
)
Overview of Rail Transit Committee
Contents
|. Overview of Rail Transit Committee
Il. Context and Status of Passenger Rail in Nashua
a. Imperative for Passenger Rail
b. Status of NH Capital Corridor project
c. Status of Boston Surface Railroad Company project
Ill. Moving Forward — Issues to Plan for Passenger Rail
IV. Recommendations - Continued Efforts and Role of Rail Committee
Nashua Rail Transit Committee
Report
Submitted to Mayor Jim Donchess and the City of Nashua
Board of Alderman
Updated December 2018
