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THE BOSTON HERALD
Lack of money stalls Boston-Montreal train study
Associated Press
September 14, 2003
MANCHESTER, N.H. - Lack of federal and state funds is delaying the second phase
of a study on the viability of a high-speed train route from Boston to Montreal,
with stops in New Hampshire.
A $400,000 first phase of the study found that the 329-mile route could be
economically viable if the trains traveled fast enough to attract passengers.
State officials applied for $1 million in federal money to finish the second
stage of the study, which would examine the nuts and bolts of what is required
to establish the line. That study was supposed to start in July.
But Congress earmarked just $250,000 for the study. And the money must be
matched with $67,000 each from
Massachusetts
,
Vermont
and
New
Hampshire
. While
Vermont
has allocated the money, the other two states have not.
Last year's ridership survey found that nearly 700,000 passengers a year would
use the line rather than drive, as long as the service was fast and frequent and
the fares reasonable. The study estimated the line would generate about $35
million annually.
The route would run through
Nashua
,
Manchester
,
Concord
and
Franklin
,
then turn west to cross into
Vermont
near
Lebanon
.
A preliminary study found that the trains could operate at up to 110 mph on the
straights. Higher speeds would require many costly grade separations and
sophisticated warnings and barriers.
Examining the alternatives more closely is being delayed by the lack of funding
from
Massachusetts
and
New
Hampshire
, said Scott Bascom, who is
project manager for the study and planning coordinator at the Vermont Agency of
Transportation.
``Right now we're sort of in an administrative hold,'' Bascom said.
Last week, Bascom wrote to officials in
Massachusetts
and
New
Hampshire
asking about the status of
their funding and underscoring the urgency of getting back to work on the study
before winter. He said a key part of the next phase of the study is videotaping
and mapping the rail corridor, something that is best done in the fall, when
leaves are off the trees.
The New Hampshire Department of Transportation has yet to ask the governor and
Executive Council to approve paying the state's share, said Christopher Morgan,
the state administrator for railroads and public transportation.
Bascom said
Massachusetts
officials seem ``more upbeat than in the past'' about paying the
Bay
State
's
share.
``But I don't begin to understand what their concerns and their current politics
are,'' Bascom said.
The inability to come up with $67,000 for the study reveals transportation
officials' lack of interest in rail, said Peter Griffin, president of the New
Hampshire Railroad Revitalization Association, a group that advocates for rail
travel.
``Spending $500 million on widening Interstate 93, that's for the public good
and there's never a question that we have to do it,'' Griffin said.
``Yet turn around and say, 'We want to spend a certain amount of money to
re-establish a rail corridor,' and they balk at it. The fiscal caution lights
come on. They say, 'I don't support something that requires a subsidy.'''
