NH Delegation Announces More than $4.5 Million to Renovate & Modernize Northcoast Railroad
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) today announced the award of $4,562,905 in funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program to invest in renovating and modernizing the New Hampshire Northcoast (NHN) railroad line. Shaheen, Hassan and Pappas sent a letter of support for this grant award.
NHN is a heavy freight railroad company that operates 43 miles of track between Ossipee and Rollinsford. The funding will allow NHN to make urgently needed infrastructure improvements along this track. These include: the replacement of worn rail, ties and ballast, the installation of safety signals in several of its locomotive trains, enhancement of safety at two railroad crossing locations and to build two rail spurs to store hazardous freight away from populated areas. These improvements will significantly increase public safety and boost the efficiency of NHN’s operations, which play a critical role in promoting the growth of the regional economy.
“I’m very pleased to see this federal funding invested in vital infrastructure improvements along the Northcoast railroad,” said Senator Shaheen. “The Northcoast railroad connects inland New Hampshire with our national freight rail network and is critical to the regional and state economy. These improvements will significantly improve public safety, boost the efficiency of freight operations and help spur economic growth in the region. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for increased funding for New Hampshire projects that improve our roads, rail, bridges and waterways.”
“The New Hampshire Northcoast railroad plays a key role in our economy and provides jobs to Granite Staters,” Senator Hassan said. “I was glad to support the Northcoast railroad’s application to receive this grant of more than $4 million, which will help upgrade the railway and make important enhancements to safety systems to ensure that it can continue to serve industries in the region. I will keep fighting to secure additional resources to help support New Hampshire’s economic recovery and modernize our state’s infrastructure.”
“The Northcoast railroad is crucial to New Hampshire’s economy, and this grant is an important investment in our state,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “I’m glad that this federal funding will go towards making infrastructure improvements along the Northcoast railroad to enhance safety and efficiency. I’ll continue working to secure funding for infrastructure improvements in the Granite State.”
“Federal investments to help maintain and rebuild our state’s infrastructure have never been more important, and I am pleased the New Hampshire Northcoast Railroad has received this grant. As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I will continue to work to modernize our transportation networks and support our region’s economic needs,” said Congressman Pappas.
Senators Hassan and John Thune (R-SD) introduced the bipartisan Railroad Rehabilitation and Financing Innovation Act to improve the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) loan program, which is designed to provide direct loans to help develop passenger and short line railroads in New Hampshire and across the country, including NHN.
