A report on the blindingly obvious

Good day all. I was killing time a little while ago and saw a blurb run across the screen about extending the rail lines from Lowell, MA to Manchester, NH. The reasons stated were that such an extension would be beneficial economically for New Hampshire.

Now as to why I call this stating the blindingly obvious, it’s simple. It’s been common knowledge for at least 20 years that it would make a tremendous amount of sense to extend the lines. It would mean that people now traveling from New Hampshire into Boston to work would not have to drive down the parking lot known as Route 3. Here are the details from the Concord Monitor:

Extending the commuter rail system from Lowell, Mass., to Nashua and downtown Manchester would give New Hampshire the best bang for its buck, according to the Capitol Corridor Rail Study released yesterday.

Rather then rehash what I just wrote, I’ll sum up in one word. DUH!

The report, detailed at a press conference yesterday morning in Nashua, recommended the $245.6 million Manchester Regional Rail option over several alternatives, including an Amtrak intercity rail link between Boston and Concord. Still, the prospect of rail in Concord doesn’t end with yesterday’s recommendation – policymakers will ultimately decide which option, if any, to pursue.

And considering that most policy makers don’t have the sense to come in out of the rain, I won’t hold my breath.

“It is not off the table. It is an alternative that will be carried forward, along with the others,” said Patrick Herlihy, director of aeronautics, rail and transit for the state Department of Transportation. “At some point, a decision will need to be made by the policymakers as far as what they want to do.

They have been talking about extending the lines for over 20 years. As I recall, they were literally a year away from signing contracts and breaking ground on the extensions 15 years ago. The mayor of Nashua at the time was a big booster. The only delay at the time, if I recall correctly, was where to put the stations. Then the mayor left office and his replacement decided to put in rotaries and ignored the project. Then the matching funds from the federal government were lost and that was that for the project. Nashua dumped that idiot as I recall.

The Manchester Regional Rail option recommended in the report would draw an average of 668,000 weekday riders annually, and carries the potential to bring 5,600 permanent jobs to New Hampshire by 2030. “There is no question that this investment has the potential to transform New Hampshire’s economy,” said Michael Izbicki, chairman of the New Hampshire Rail Transit Authority.

I’ve had to make that drive from Southern NH into Boston and I can tell you, it is a nightmare. The only other option is expanding the highways again, and the last time that took 4 years and was almost immediately overwhelmed. When they announced the expansion of Route 3 way back in the 90’s, they expected it to take 20 years. The local businesses put the kibosh on that plan for union full employment by stating that if it took as long as the Big Dig, the entire Route 128 business sector would move elsewhere.

The Massachusetts government, in a sudden attack of self preservation, got the job done in the 4 years originally anticipated, much to the anger of the unions. It was still a bloody nightmare for those who had to commute down to the Boston area.

In almost every statement yesterday, the expansion of the commuter rail to Manchester was linked to the state’s economic growth. Rail would keep more young people in New Hampshire and spark economic growth for decades, Hassan said. Beginning in 2013, the expansion of passenger rail would create 1,730 new jobs according to the report.

Two reasons people like living in New Hampshire are no income tax and no sales tax. We also have a lot more freedom in New Hampshire then you do in the “People’s Democratic Republic of Taxachusetts.” basically, in Massachusetts, if it isn’t specifically allowed by the political elites, it’s forbidden. That’s one reason I live and based Anger Central in New Hampshire. I don’t like asking the government for permission to use my constitutional rights. I don’t like most government plans, but this one actually makes sense, if done right, and would probably be in the black financially within months of opening. Compare this with what Governor Choo Choo in California is ramming down the throats of the taxpayers out there. Unlike that boondoggle, this one, if managed correctly, should work and turn an actual profit.

Thatisall

~The Angry Webmaster~

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