CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE – The House of Representatives voted 213-141 today to pass SB 241, enabling legislation to fund the project development phase of the capital corridor rail project.

Rep. Sue Newman, D-Nashua, said it is time to move forward with the next step of the capitol corridor rail project.

“The volume of traffic and choked highway conditions experienced by tens of thousands of daily commuters has a myriad of negative impacts on our state. Each day, southern NH families spend hours on congested, grid-locked highways, trying to balance their work, home, and family life here,” Newman said.

Rail would facilitate interstate travel for workers, achieve goals of retaining our young homegrown talent, and make it easier for businesses to draw from Boston’s expansive talent pool, Newman said.

Senate Bill 241 is not another study, she said. It will produce the engineering plan, environmental permitting, firm project costs, and funding sources required to apply to the Federal Transit Administration for competitively awarded construction funding.

“The project development phase does not obligate the state to move forward with rail construction, but it will answer the questions about how much passenger rail would cost, how it would be paid for, and give us the necessary information to make informed decisions,” Newman said.