Rail line worth the investment

By Dick Pearl
Staff writer

July 18, 2008 12:50 am

—

Last month, Gov. John Lynch expressed his support for the re-establishment of a commuter rail line in Southern New Hampshire. His timing couldn't be better.

Recently, Massachusetts officials have talked about extending the commuter rail line into New Hampshire. More specifically, a consulting firm hired to look into options recommended extending the line from Lawrence, Mass. all the way to Londonderry.

New Hampshire rail advocates envision a Granite State system that would extend the line all the way up into Concord.

We say, go for it.

Re-establishing a commuter rail service in New Hampshire will, without question, be expensive. It's estimated that extending the MBTA line to Londonderry would cost $198 million just to lay the tracks. However, such a project will never be as affordable as it is right now.

In the coming years, the cost of such a project, and the need for one, will grow exponentially. Traffic problems in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire will only worsen with more and more cars on the road and a quick refresher course of Economics 101 tells us that gasoline will never again cost less than $3 a gallon.

Now is the time for New Hampshire to get out in front of the growing transportation crisis.

Make no mistake, such a transportation system will not pay for itself. Massachusetts' MBTA system has operated in the red for years. However, it's frightening to imagine the traffic and air pollution issues Massachusetts would face without its mass transit program.

The question is not if New Hampshire will need to establish a commuter rail service. The question is whether it will be done now or later. The longer the state waits, the more expensive the project will be.

Opponents of a commuter rail line have said it will be paid for by many to benefit just a few. The same could be said for any regional project funded by the state. The Coos County tax credit just to name one. Such thinking is shortsighted and wrong.

An initiative that will help to reduce traffic, carbon emissions and dependence on fossil fuels benefits everyone.

Commuter rail service in New Hampshire is well worth the investment.