MANCHESTER — A nonpartisan coalition of businesses that support expanding passenger rail from Boston to Manchester launched Tuesday, the day before a House committee votes on a state transportation plan. The New Hampshire Business for Rail Expansion includes more than 50 businesses, organizations and individuals.
House Bill 2018 — the amended Ten Year Transportation Improvement Plan — includes $4 million in funding for the project development phase of the proposed rail expansion project, which would be paid for with a federal grant. The study would provide an analysis of engineering, environmental, and geotechnical aspects, and a financial plan for expanding passenger rail.
A public hearing is scheduled for Wednesday in Room 201 of the Legislative Office Building at 33. N. State St., Concord.
“For companies to grow and prosper right here in New Hampshire, they need access to a younger, highly-educated workforce,” said New Hampshire Business for Rail Expansion spokesman E.J. Powers, in a prepared statement. “That means the state needs to be able retain its homegrown talent, while at the same time draw on Boston’s vast talent pool. An expanded rail system can play a key role in this effort.”
Gov. Chris Sununu, a long-time opponent of the rail project, changed course as the state prepared a bid to lure Amazon to build a new headquarters in New Hampshire. (The state was not among the finalists.)
“I continue to have genuine concerns regarding the long-term, financial viability of such an expansive project,” Sununu said recently. “However, the recent process of drafting New Hampshire’s groundbreaking Amazon proposal has demonstrated the need to study the potential options.”
The Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce is among the organizations supporting the coalition, which launched the NHBiz4Rail.com website.
“The GMCC represents more than 850 businesses across Southern New Hampshire that employ tens of thousands of our state’s residents and generate millions in economic activity,” said Mike Skelton, CEO of the chamber. “The Nashua-Manchester corridor also serves as the economic backbone of our entire state; as goes the economic output of our region, so goes the rest of New Hampshire. Therefore, economic growth along the Nashua-Manchester corridor is important to the overall growth of our entire state’s economy.”
The following businesses are part of the coalition:
36 Creative
Anagnost Companies
Battle Games
Brady Sullivan Properties
Brick River Technologies
Café La Reine
Campo Enoteca
Catholic Medical Center
Citizens Bank
Cookson Strategies
Coco Early & Associates
Currier Museum of Art
Dancing Lion Chocolate
Derryfield School
Eckman Construction
Elm Grove Companies
FlowTraq
Gottesman & Hollis
Great Island Inn
Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce
Intown Manchester
Keller Williams – Agent Paul Laflamme
Kelley Stelling Contemporary
Lambert and Associates – Senator Gary Lambert
Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
Marzen Group
Mayor Joyce Craig, City of Manchester
McMahon & Wright Group – Wells Fargo Advisors
MERC Sales
Minim
Mint Bistro
Montagne Communications
New Hampshire High Tech Council
New Hampshire Institute of Art
Northwestern Mutual
Oracle + DYN
Paul Bergeron and Associates
Persian Rug Gallery
PillPack
Polystitch
Primary Strategies
Pro Drone, LLC
Raceway Electric
Randy Turmel and Associates
Reach Communications
Republic Café
Saint Anselm College
Silvertech
Solomon Consulting
Soujourn Partners
Southern New Hampshire University
St. Mary’s Bank
The Bookery
The Cerato Group
Unique and Chic Designs
University of New Hampshire
Ward Properties
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