Rail & Transit Alternatives Analysis. NH Capitol Corridor. Public Scoping Meeting. March 5, 2014

Transcription

1 NH Capitol Corridor Rail & Transit Alternatives Analysis Public Scoping Meeting March 5, 2014

2 Agenda Study overview National Environmental Policy Act Preliminary alternatives: rail, bus, stations, layover facilities Objectives/benefits Evaluation criteria, assessment of alternatives Final alternatives Next steps/implementation

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4 Schedule

5 NEPA Process What is the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)? Establishes procedural requirements for all federal government agencies to prepare environmental assessments (EAs) and environmental impact statements (EISs) EAs and EISs contain statements of the environmental impacts of proposed federal agency actions The NEPA process includes public input in the planning and permitting of projects

6 NEPA Process (cont.) How does NEPA apply to the NHCC project? FRA has provided funding to the NHDOT to study intercity passenger rail service to Concord, NH from Boston, MA If the project were to be funded by the FRA, it would be a federal action subject to NEPA FRA Tier 1 Environmental Assessment (EA) for intercity service For this study the FRA is the lead agency and FTA is a cooperating agency

7 NEPA Process (cont.) FTA Supplement Environmental Information from previous study to include Nashua to Manchester transit options Appropriate environmental documentation to follow if a transit project moves forward

8 NEPA Process (cont.) Public input sought tonight: Intercity Passenger Rail with Existing Bus Transit System (Commuter Rail and Bus Options) Social, economic, or environmental impact Alternatives and measures which might avoid, minimize and/or mitigate adverse environmental impacts

9 MBTA Commuter Rail: Thirty Five Years of Expansion

10 Commuter Rail Service Options Weekday Revenue Trains Route Miles Station Wkday Train Miles Lowell Nashua Manch Concord Options 1. Concord Regional , Concord Commuter , Manchester Regional , Manchester Commuter , Nashua Commuter , Nashua Minimum ,496

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15 Conceptual Stations Station Miles to Boston Max Time to Boston Min Time to Boston Concord :54 1:46 Manchester :32 1:25 MHT / Bedford :24 1:17 Nashua :14 1:02 South Nashua :08 0:54

16 Intercity Rail Service Options Options Weekday Revenue Trains Route Nashua Manchester Concord Miles Stations Wkday Train Miles 1. Intercity , Intercity , Intercity ,771

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18 Conceptual Intercity Stations Stations Miles to Boston Intercity Time to Boston Min CR Time to Boston Max CR Time to Boston Concord :36 1:46 1:54 Manchester :22 1:25 1:32 MHT / Bedford :09 1:17 1:24 Nashua :56 1:02 1:14 Lowell :38 0:44 0:49

19 Potential Station Locations Primary Criteria Market (Nashua, Manchester, Concord) Access (Major highways, exits, local roads) Track Characteristics (straight track, sidings) Land Use (residential, commercial, industrial) Lot Size/Configuration Secondary Criteria Environmental (wetlands, river, habitat) Ownership (State or private) Sensitive Receptors (residential, schools, hospital) Miscellaneous Factors

20 Concord Stickney Avenue

21 Manchester Spring Street

22 Manchester Granite Street

23 MHT Ray Wieczorek Drive

24 Nashua Crown Street

25 Nashua Spit Brook Road

26 Nashua Pheasant Lane Mall

27 Potential Layover Sites Primary Criteria Terminus (Nashua, Manchester, Concord) Track Characteristics (straight track, sidings, existing rail yard) Land Use (Residential, commercial, industrial) Sensitive Receptors (residential, schools, hospital) Secondary Criteria Environmental (wetlands, river, habitat) Ownership (State or private) Misc. Factors

28 Concord Stickney Avenue

29 Manchester Granite Street

30 Manchester - Cemetery

31 Manchester Cemetery (cont.)

32 Manchester Wastewater Treatment Plant

33 Manchester Wastewater Treatment Plant (cont.)

34 Nashua Spit Brook Road

35 Express Bus Options Bus on Shoulder for Existing Service 80 weekday buses 8 12 minute savings for 16 am peak southbound buses Afternoon savings are less Bus on Shoulder for Enhanced Service Approximately 120 weekday buses 8 12 minute peak savings over current travel times 30 minute peak headway; 60 minute off peak All peak buses offer non stop service to Boston

36 Rail Ridership Up to 3,100 total boardings per weekday Boston Manchester 16 trains to Manchester 34 trains to Nashua Existing bus service on I 93

37 MBTA Boardings by Station

38 Bus on Shoulder Ridership Up to 1200 boarding per weekday Expanded BoS Service

39 Benefits/Objectives Address the congestion issue at southern end of the corridor, thereby reducing trip times and providing a wider set of alternatives to the automobile. Improve access to higher paying jobs in greater Boston. Commute from New Hampshire; return money to New Hampshire. Improve access to other tourism, recreation and cultural attractions in both greater Boston and in New Hampshire. Attract and retain population in New Hampshire, especially younger, highly educated professionals.

40 Benefits/Objectives Build that employee base to attract new businesses and grow existing ones in New Hampshire. Promote concentrated development (TOD) to mitigate sprawl development patterns, help accommodate residents seeking additional lifestyle choices and to reduce vehicle miles travelled. Attract federal transportation investment dollars by leveraging existing transportation infrastructure. Improve the potential for additional rail freight business. Provide additional transit service to the Manchester Boston Regional Airport.

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42 Alternative Definition and Selection: What Makes a Big Difference Rail capital costs are much greater than bus Land use/development/tod Bus, rail both can have development impacts just very different Ridership Stronger markets closer to Boston Park and ride vs. center city stations; importance of drive access Rail ridership forecasts higher than bus

43 Bottom Line Questions #1: What does rail do best? #2: What does express bus do best?

44 Bottom Line Questions #3: Can we do it all? The transit system strategy.

45 Bottom Line Questions #4: Can we get 50 percent of capital from the federal government?

46 Bottom Line Questions #5: What is the state/local annual financial requirement after federal support, fares? Illustrative alternative : Boston Manchester $8 $10 million per year Source(s): TBD

47 Alternatives Advanced for More Detailed Evaluation No Build: Base Bus Base Bus on Shoulder (BoS) Base Enhanced (Base+) Bus on Shoulder Enhanced (BoS+) Nashua Commuter Rail Minimum plus bus Manchester Regional Rail plus bus Concord 8 Intercity Rail plus bus Next phase: fare sensitivity analysis Next phase: ridership system sensitivity Next phase: phased in implementation

48 Next Steps

49 Project Implementation

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51 NH Capitol Corridor Study