State Proposes Acquisition of Abandoned Hampton Rail Corridor

A coalition of bi-partisan state representatives from Hampton, North Hampton, Greenland, Rye, Newcastle and Portsmouth have joined with me to send the following letter to NH Department of Transportation Christopher Clement endorsing the state's proposed acquisition of the abandoned Hampton Branch Rail Corridor.    The meeting to approve this funding is tomorrow (Friday March 29).   Keep your fingers crossed!

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Dear Commissioner Clement,

We are a bi-partisan coalition of New Hampshire state representatives who represent the towns of Hampton, North Hampton, Newcastle, Rye, Greenland and Portsmouth.   We are writing to you to indicate our strong support for state acquisition of the Hampton Branch segment of the former Boston & Maine Eastern Line railroad right-of-way, extending from Hampton Center to Portsmouth.   We urge the NHDOT to pursue acquisition of the newly abandoned section of the corridor when it is offered for sale and we endorse your intent to utilize CMAQ program funds to support the acquisition.

As you know, the southern segment of the right-of-way (the 4.5 miles from Seabrook to Hampton Center) was purchased by the state in 1999.  The acquisition of the remaining 9.8 mile section from Hampton to Portsmouth (the Hampton Branch) will bring the full corridor into public control.  This will have numerous and long lasting benefits for the state, our towns and the entire Seacoast:

• It will prevent the fragmentation of ownership and future development that would be incompatible with the corridor’s use as a transportation facility, and preserve it for a variety of potential future transportation and utility uses.
• It makes development of a rail-to-trail multi-use facility and specifically the NH segment of the East Coast Greenway possible.  The corridor’s wide right of way provides space to allow multiple uses.
• It will connect large residential, commercial, tourist and employment centers in our Seacoast communities with a corridor that is safe and efficient for bicycle and pedestrian travel, and that simultaneously serves as a transportation alternative, a regional recreational resource and significant tourist attraction.
• It will reduce traffic on the Route 1 corridor, particularly during heavily congested summer months and help maintain the region’s air quality attainment status.

When news of the impending abandonment of the rail segment surfaced in the summer of 2011, local officials from our communities met and indicated their strong interest in keeping the corridor intact and public, and supported actions by the State to acquire it.   They, better than most, understand the importance of maintaining the corridor for transportation uses –and the potential cost of missing this unique opportunity.

We agree and are supportive of the Department’s interest and willingness to work toward the preservation of the corridor.  Please keep us posted on your progress and let us know how we can help move the acquisition forward.