100+ NH businesses voice support for passenger rail
Coalition calls for lawmakers to back $4 million study
More than 100 New Hampshire businesses and organizations have jumped on board the campaign to push for passenger rail from Boston Manchester as a NH House committee considers a proposal for a $4 million study of the project’s feasibility.
The newly released list of businesses was released Tuesday by the NH Business for Rail Expansion coalition, which said it is urging the House Public Works and Highways Committee to support the $4 million analysis, which is contained in House Bill 2018, the state’s 10-year transportation plan.
The $4 million would be covered through federal grants, and is aimed at providing a detailed analysis of engineering, environmental and geotechnical requirements, along with a financial plan for expanding passenger rail from Boston to Manchester.
“Business leaders from across New Hampshire are calling on our elected officials to take a closer look at the benefits passenger rail could provide,” said coalition spokesperson E.J. Powers. “Our coalition, representing a range of large and small businesses across multiple industries, are acutely aware of New Hampshire’s workforce and demographic challenges and believe rail expansion could be part of the solution. It is time for our legislators to hear the desires of the business community and act.”
In January, Gov. Chris Sununu voiced his support for the study.
Among the businesses calling for approval of the analysis are:
36 Creative
Admix
Anagnost Companies
AutoDesk
Barre Life
Battle Games
Beacon Building
Brady Sullivan Properties
BrickRiver Technologies
Brookstone Builders
Café La Reine
Campo Enoteca
Catholic Medical Center
CCA Global Partners
Citizens Bank
Clifford Construction
Coco Early Real Estate
Cookson Strategic Communications
Currier Museum of Art
Dancing Lion Chocolate
Derryfield School
DesignWares
DeStefano Architects
Eckman Construction
ELC Outdoors
Elm Grove Companies
FairPoint Communications
Fay’s Fine Cabinetry
FlowTraq
FortCycle LLC
Fortitude Health and Training
Freedom Energy Logistics
Gamache Real Estate Group
Garrison Hill Florists
Gottesman & Hollis
Great Island Inn
Great NH Restaurants
Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce
GreenBike Smoothies, LLC
H&M Metals, LLC
Homeschooling Horizons, Inc.
iCleanSolutions
Ideabenders, LLC
Intown Manchester
J. Ellen Design, LLC
Jupiter Hall
Kanteres Real Estate
Keller Williams Agent Paul Laflamme
Kelley Stelling Contemporary
La Carreta – Londonderry & Derry
Lambert and Associates – Senator Gary Lambert
LG Strategies
Live Free & Start
M.R. Hilbert Electrical Inspections & Training
Manchester Ink Link
Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
Marzen Group
McMahon & Wright Group – Wells Fargo Advisors
MERC Sales
Minim
Mint Bistro
Montagne Communications
NH High Tech Council
NH Railroad Revitalization Association
New Sky Productions
NH Institute of Art
NH Sierra Club
Northwestern Mutual
Old Port Properties
Oracle + DYN
Parallel Wireless
Paul Bergeron and Associates
Persian Rug Gallery
PillPack
Polystitch
Primary Strategies
Pro Drone, LLC
Puritan Backroom & Conference Center
Queen City Cupcakes
Raceway Electric LLC
Randy Turmel and Associates
Reach Communications
Red Arrow Diner
Remove Web Workplace, LLC
Republic Café
Robie’s Country Store
Saint Anselm College
Schall Creative
Silvertech
Simchik Planning & Development
Solomon Consulting
Soujourn Partners
Southern New Hampshire University
St. Mary’s Bank
Tangled Roots Herbal, LLC
The Bookery
The Cerato Group
The Lannan Company
Unique and Chic Designs
University of New Hampshire
Volvo of Exeter
Ward Properties
According to the coalition, the 2015 NH Capitol Corridor Study found that passenger rail would have a range of economic benefits, including the creation of 230 jobs to construct the rail line and 3,400 construction jobs related to real estate development spurred by the rail line, including housing and commercial real estate.
