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
Attachment 3
Rail Report
Recommendation: Role of Rail Committee
Public Information &
Advocacy
¢ Engage surrounding
communities
BSRC Partnership
¢ Evaluate viability of BSRC
¢ Guide on legal
documents (e.g. MOU
renewal)
* Define technical
expertise needed (e.g.
AECOM, NRPC)
Operations and
Station Development
° Identify different
scenarios
¢ Plan for scope and scale
of station
¢ Build financing and
revenue options
° Identify risks
° Engage business
community
Recommendation: Role of Rail Committee
It is recommended that the Rail Committee continue its role in
partnership with the Mayor and Board of Aldermen to assist the City of
Nashua to:
1. Plan for immediate next steps for BSRC partnership
2. Identify City roles and responsibilities for passenger rail operations and
station development
3. Build public information and advocacy for passenger rail
Boston Surface Railroad Company
¢ Boston Surface Railroad
Company (BSRC) and Nashua
sign MOU to establish a public-
private partnership (PPP) to
operate passenger rail
¢ Anticipated ridership from
Bedford, NH to Lowell = 9,700
passengers by year 10
¢ Planned startup of NH route
with stop in Nashua by 2023
Map of BSRC Intercity Routes - Planned
Concord
Bedford
Nashua
Lowell ©)
|.) Woburn
Worcester Boston
Woonsocket
Providence
NH Capital Corridor
¢ Capital Corridor Rail Analysis
completed by NH DOT in 2015
¢ Future of Federal funds to
complete $4M project
“development phase” rejected
by NH Legislature
¢ Project stalled until
development phase completed,
but new efforts likely in 2019 to
“re-insert” S4M funding for
project development phase
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
Imperative for Passenger Rail
Economic
Development
° Create land value =
increased taxes
° Bridge Street/Crown
Street development
e Meet talent demands of
Nashua businesses
* Support area industry
development, access to
downtown
Mobility
¢ Improve mobility of labor
to/from Nashua
¢ Improve flow of tourists,
arts patrons, retail
shoppers
¢ Increase travel options
to/from Downtown
Nashua, office/industrial
parks, Manchester
Airport, Logan Airport
Role and Purpose of Rail Committee
¢ 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
Two (2) Mayoral Resident Appointments - Carl Seidel & Bette Lasky
One (1) Mayoral Designee Appointment - Dan Kelly
