The Nashua Regional Planning Commission is eyeing the railway line running from Wilton to Nashua as a potential new rails-to-trails system, a plan which stakeholders hope will make way for the trains still actively using the line.
On Dec. 3, at 7 p.m., in an online session, the Nashua Regional Planning Commission plans to discuss the possibilities of using the rail corridor that runs from Wilton to Nashua, cutting across a total of five towns, as a pedestrian corridor.
The corridors proximity to many homes and businesses, and Route 101 and 101A, could make it an actual transportation corridor, rather than just recreational, which is one of its attractive features, said Jay Minkarah, executive director of the Nashua Regional Planning Commission.
“Many rail trails are primarily recreational, and that’s fine, but this could be an actual bicycle and pedestrian transportation corridor, which people could use to access shops and health care and everything else they need in their daily lives,” Minkarah said. “It’s not a secret for anyone in the region that there are a lot of safety challenges for pedestrians on Route 101 and 101A. Safely accommodating bicycles and pedestrians on the corridor is challenging. That’s what got people thinking, ‘Is this an alternative?’”
The rail line, currently owned by the Pan Am Railways, is for sale. However, on Monday, the company announced it had reached an agreement with CSX Corp. to acquire Pan Am and its infrastructure. The acquisition will have to undergo an approval process with the Surface Transportation Board before it is finalized.
Minkarah said the Planning Commission is still interested in exploring the option of establishing a pedestrian corridor.
Minkarah said the purchase may change things, but doesn’t close the door to possible negotiations for the corridor. CSX may be open to the sale of the corridor, which is need of upgrading, rather than investing funds to improve it, for example, or be amenable to providing access rights for a trail while maintaining ownership.
“It’s really a question mask as to what the intent of the new owner might be,” Minkarah said.
One of the complicating factors in creating a trail along the tracks, is that the tracks are still in use.
Peter Leishman of Peterborough, owner of the Milford-Bennington Railroad, uses the tracks between Wilton and Milford to transport freight by train from Granite State Concrete. He said he would be against closing any portion of the track, even the parts his trains currently aren’t using.
“I’d be very much opposed to removing any of the track between Wilton and Nashua,” Leishman said.
While Leishman currently only runs trains from Wilton to Milford, he said he transports new equipment over the connecting line, and also that doing away with it could limit future freight opportunities.
Minkarah said continuing rail service and creating a pedestrian corridor aren’t necessarily at odds with each other.
“It’s fair to say that many of us would agree that we in no way want to stand in the way of the use of this corridor as a viable freight line. That’s a great thing, and let’s see how we can work together to reach the needs of a bicycle and pedestrian corridor and accommodate freight,” Minkarah said.
The Nashua Regional Planning Commission has in the past expressed dissent for discontinuing the line and driving more truck traffic onto the roads.
The Planning Commission plans to hold a webinar on the possibility of establishing a pedestrian corridor on Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. Residents can visit souheganvalleyrailtrail.org/event-directory to register and receive sign in information for the event.