By Dana Prifti, Media Relations Writing Intern

With the start of a new semester, UNH has come alive again. As a part of the new start to 2006, UNH students will be noticing some changes in the Durham-UNH Rail Station, which houses the Amtrak Downeaster Rail Line. Stephen Pesci, the special projects manager with UNH Campus Planning, highlighted some exciting new developments in making the Durham-UNH station the center of transportation for the university.

In the past four years, ridership out of the Durham Rail Station has increased more than seven-fold, rising from 3,536 riders in the ’01-’02 academic year to 26,536 for the ’04-’05 academic year. This staggering rise in use, in Pesci’s and many others’ eyes, necessitates the restoration and augmentation of the train station to make Durham an even friendlier place in which to live or to simply stop and visit.

“The master plan envisions the Durham-UNH station as the transit hub with the trains and buses both leaving from there,” Pesci said. “This facility will provide more convenient transportation service and offer travel options ”

To get to that vision, there are many changes to be made. A major project is the renovation of the historic rail station which houses the UNH Dairy Bar, a small, trackside eatery, and currently the only indoor waiting area at the station. Pesci expects to increase amenities for transit users such as moving the Amtrak ticketing machine from the Whittemore Center to the actual train station, improving the restrooms, adding a climate-controlled passenger waiting area, and upgrading and restoring the historical rail station.

Inside the train station, there is a wealth of historical memorabilia, detailing the station’s importance to the Durham-UNH community. Many may not know that passenger service began in 1841, 52 years prior to the founding of the college in Durham. Following a tragic 1905 derailment the Boston and Maine Railroad worked with University to relocate the train line and provide a new rail station – the current one -- relocated from Lynn, Mass. In 1958, passenger service stopped. From that point, until the arrival of the Amtrak Downeaster in December 2001, the rail line was only used for freight trains.

Plans to restore the rail station include renovations of the historic transportation elements of the building including displays to tell the history of the train station, which played a key role in making UNH accessible. The train was how students would get to school. “The train was critical to making the university and Durham a primary destination,” Pesci said. The USDOT will provide up to 80 percent of a planned $98,000 to renovate the historic features

The larger improvement plans also call for making the facility more accessible for intercity bus lines as well. Plans include changes to the lot entrances and platform area to permit bus loading or “cross-platform transit access,” which means that train and bus passengers would have access to the same amenities. The intermodal expansion and improvements to passenger amenities will cost about $815,000, 80 percent again paid for by USDOT federal funding.

The State of New Hampshire also approved the expenditure of over $2 million of additional federal funds to expand the rail capacity in New Hampshire and assist with additional integrated bus and rail service in New Hampshire. The result will be 5 Downeaster roundtrips and additional C&J Trailways service to Durham and other New Hampshire station communities by 2007.

There are also new options for travel, such as the Flex Pass, which allows a rider to use the same ticket for the train or bus with no need for reservations. Train and bus schedules are beginning coordinated to eliminate service gaps and provide more travel options from Durham to points north and south. In addition, students, faculty and staff are able to purchase multi-ride passes at discount rates. “The success of transit hinges on frequency and options,” Pesci said. “Our overall goal is to see more buses and trains to give people more options.”

The train is a significant mode of arrival to UNH and provides easy access to Logan and Portland airports. There are also 300,000 riders a year who only see UNH from the tracks or in passing.
Katie Senger, a student bound for Portland, said she loves passing through Durham on her way back to school. “I don’t ever stop in Durham but when I pass through the station, I see this cute, little restaurant and there’s always people around,” she said. “It already looks like a great place to go to school; I can’t wait to see what it looks like when it gets renovated.”

“One major goal is to improve the view from the tracks, to give people a friendly first impression of UNH.” Pesci said. “We would like to see students become station hosts to welcome people to UNH, coming and going and building a sense of community.”

Students at UNH are looking forward to the expansion of the already frequently used train station. Vanessa Schwede, a junior, who uses the train to get in and out of Boston after weekend trips home, is excited that there will be more trips available by bus. “I’ve missed trains before and I had to wait hours before the next one came,” she said. “Now if I get a flex pass, if I miss the train, I can just hop on the next bus – problem solved. It’ll be really nice to have that option.”

One thing is for sure; the improvements in the coming year to the Durham-UNH rail station will be sure to enhance the already thriving train station. The title of “transportation hub of UNH” is not far behind.