No Good Deed Goes Unrecorded....

On Monday, in my dual roles as Chairman of the Economic Development Citizens Advisory Committee and Planning Board alternate member in Merrimack, I travelled to St. Anselm's College's Institute of Politics in Goffstown to participate in a workshop on the development of rail through Southern New Hampshire along the newly created "Capitol Corridor" to Concord. I was interviewed by The Nashua Telegraph and I have hyperlinked the article for your convenience below.

The picture above was provided to me by Dan Pinard. It shows Peter Burling - NH State Senator and chair of New Hampshire Rail Authority, Gov. Mike Dukakis - former governor of MA, former vice chair of Amtrak and Patricia Quinn - Executive Director of Northern New England Passenger RailAuthority fielding questions from a group of roughly 200 people. I was lucky enough to ask a question of Governor Dukakis.

Relating my understandings of transportation successes and failures in Massachusetts, I asked him: What were the key lessons the people of New Hampshire should take away from impacted communities in Massachusetts in promoting and creating rail access from New Hampshire to Boston? Gov. Dukakis was very forthright.

Consensus, bi-partisan leadership should embrace the economic development potential rail brings to New Hampshire. He was quick to point out that there would be speed bumps along the way, but a "can-do" attitude with creative thinking and problem-solving was a must. Plus, he admitted that we need to treat rail service as public service, that this public service must be efficient at the lowest cost possible. He agreed that governmental subsidies to offset shortfalls are necessary for a successful regional rail service.

It was a 90 minute exercise in transportation public policy that certainly brought out the wonk in me. Also, it provide ample opportunity for me to catch up with my fellow area planners to further discuss the economic development opportunity rail provides to area communities and its region. It was an excellent night of information.

http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080715/NEWS01/614779069

Bill