12-2-2021_91-a_to_dot_for_information_on_the_blackmount_and_haverhill_to_littleton_rail_lines_trails_including_funding_deeds_motorized_non-motorized_status_and_grant_applications
Blackmount, Haverhill
10-1955: Plymouth to Blackmount map
Acquisition, Haverhill
12-4-1996: NH & VT railroad to NH; Berlin Branch Rail ROW, deed.
10-4-1996: Resolution for purchase of Berlin Branch, two segments.
1997: B&M to NH DOT, Haverhill
12-19-1997: interoffice memo NH Bureau of Rail and Bransit to Office of Finance re. funds for purchase of Berlin Branch sections.
12-17-1997: Resolution re purchase of Blackmount Rail Corridor, Haverhill
1998: Blackmount Branch Assignment of agreement, Haverhill
Title page Blackmount, Haverhill
Longer list of railroad ROWs which shows funding sources and thus where motorized use is permitted or not permitted.
Boston & Maine to NH&VT RR, deed retaining telecommunications use of corridor.
Shorter list of state owned rail and funding sources which shows which ROWs allow motorized use and which do not.
1998-1999: Berlin Branch acquisition map.
Sketch of line from Woodsville to Gorham
Boston and Maine release, title page
Assignment from Boston and Maine to Haverhill
Title page, Disposal from State to Haverhill
2004: Quitclaim from State to Haverhill p. 1
2004: Quitclaim from State to Haverhill p. 2
9-13-2004: Deed, DOT to Haverhill, Blackmount Branch Rail ROW
1-20-2009: North Country Council to DOT re rail: "Where I might find a description of rail lines and overview of ownership and operation...List of work and estimated cost that needs to be done to active state owned lines in the North
Country... What would need to be done to state owned in active lines to make them active?
8-21-2009: DOT to rail abutter; "The former Berlin Branch is still considered active from Whitefield to Littleton, but not currently operated. The New Hampshire Central Railroad, PO Box 165, North Stratford, NH 03590-0165, (603) 922-3400 has an operating agreement to operate the active portion of the Berlin Branch and the former Groveton Branch from Whitefield to Groveton and a connection with the St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad.
{{ :hav:railroad_by_owner_state_2011.pdf |2011: DOT map of rail owners and type.
8-11-2011: DOT to Jan Edick, Ray Burton and Chris Gamache (BOT); "The portion of railroad corridor between Littleton and Whitefield is designated as an active railroad, but is considered out of service...ATV use on active rail lines is prohibited per state statute (RSA215-6, IV, VI,VII."
6-26-2012: DOT to DOT "I met with Bridge Design today about their project to remove the bridge carrying Mill St. over the railroad. They plan to meet with the town and propose closing the road at either end of the bridge. If they have to keep the road open for any reason they would plan to install a precast box culvert."
6-22-2015: DOT re status of Berlin Branch; "To my knowledge, there hasn’t been any action toward extending rail trails in Bethlehem for at least the last 5 years. To best answer your question about any active railroad, however, I need to refer you by copy of this email to Railroad Planner Lou Barker, who manages NHDOT railroad property...The segment from the current end of track in Littleton to a location just west of Wing Road is subject to an active regulatory process that would facilitate the removal of the track structure between those two points. Lou Barker
3-2-2016: Haverhill to FHWA re. driveway crossing
4-4-2016: NH DOT to FHWA; FHWA should give Claremont a waiver from the federal restriction on TE-funded rail trails, which precludes ATV use of those trails.
6-15-2016 DOT to DOT; "The State purchased the Blackmount Branch from B&M Railroad for $207,154 on December 29, 1997 and deeded it to
the Town of Haverhill in 2004. The branch was purchased with TE funds (project #12138)."
6-17-2016: FHWA acknowledges letter from Haverhill
7-7-2016: FHWA refuses Claremont's request for an exemption from the federal ban on ATV use of the Claremont Rail Trail.
7-8-2016 DOT to Claremont; FHWA did not approve waiver of no-motorized vehicles on Rail Trail.
7-14-2016 DOT to Haverhill re. driveway across rail ROW.
7-16-2016: DOT to Haverhill: "If the Town feels that there is language in the deed for the rail corridor property that may allow for conveyance of crossings for access to lands on the other side, then the town could decide to allow the crossing to occur, but it would still be open to federal oversight if FHWA so choose. If the landowner did not have a crossing of some sort in the vicinity of where they are requesting now, prior to the land being purchased with FHWA funds, OR if the deed to the rail corridor does not discuss grandfathering type of language for such crossings, then FHWA would likely not support a crossing now."
7-6-2016: Driveway permit
9-30-2016: Town of Haverhill to DOT "As the impact of the closing of our rail trail is felt more every day I am reaching out again to see if the State is discussing any options that will help the Towns where these now closed trails are. The ATV's pay registration fees which, I assume, are used to develop and maintain new and existing trails. Are these funds available to purchase back from the Federal Highway
those trails that we developed with the incentive funds?."
10-10-2016: DOT to Haverhill; "And as alluded to above, FHWA has recently indicated to us that purchasing these corridors back (or repaying FHWA for federal funds used) may not allow for the lifting of restricted use. If they were to allow to payback I do not expect that there is any consideration for depreciation. And they have also ndicated that these Corridors must be protected in pepetuity."
10-12-2016: DOT to Haverhill: "The Department is sympathetic to the impacts that Haverhill (and other communities such as Claremont) are feeling. FHWA has interpreted the federal rules in a way that may be different from when the rail corridors were purchased in the 1990s. It is also possible that FHWA did not see any issues at the time of the original application. However, FHWA has not allowed any leeway in the current interpretation, as was evident with the recent Claremont waiver request that was deemed incomplete and not approved. And in fact, potential options that were identified by FHWA for a similar situation in Claremont to remedy the circumstances you are now in. some of these options FHWA is now determining to be potentially unallowable. "
10-22-2016: "In the late 1990’s to early 2000’s the Town of Haverhill purchased a section of abandoned RailRoad from the state using FHWA funds called TE or Transportation Enhancement Funds. This section of railroad was called the Blackmount Rail Trail. Currently our ATV club, the Ammonoosuc Valley ATV Club, is exploring the possibility of purchasing all or part of that trail.."
July 20 2018: Guida to DOT trying to get Blackmount Rail Trail free of Federal ban on ATV use.
10-18-2016: Haverhill to DOT re. driveway crossing rail ROW.
10-19-2016: Haverhill and DOT, discussion of TE-funding.
10-22-2016: "In the late 1990’s to early 2000’s the Town of Haverhill purchased a section of abandoned RailRoad from the state using FHWA funds called TE or Transportation Enhancement Funds. This section of railroad was called the Blackmount Rail Trail. Currently our ATV club, the Ammonoosuc Valley ATV Club, is exploring the possibility of purchasing all or part of that trail.."
1-27-2017: DOT to DOT; Questions about highway crossing solutions for inactive/abandoned railroad/rail trail corridors.
Undated, Bill Watson, DOT to Haverhill Town Manager; "FHWA’s position is not likely to change for the circumstances now in Haverhill. It is our understanding that NO waiver request has ever been approved by any FHWA Division office. Claremont argued many of the same points that you are now, and they are all valid, but it did not make a difference."
THE TOWN-OWNED BLACKMOUNT RAILROAD CORRIDOR HAVERHILL, NH RAILROAD VALUATION SHEET INDEX: VALUATION TOWN SHEETS NOTES HAVERHILL: V21/126 – V21/129 (42)* HAVERHILL: V21/SL 130 *May include some State-owned or privately owned (some or part may be beyond that deeded to town-9/04)
10-15-2021: Berlin Branch Acquisition Funding Review/Summary...Jefferson to Whitefield purchased in 2000, with Transportation Enhancement Funding
Project 12638 (80/20%)
1-27-2022: Berlin Branch bridge list.
12-2-2021_91-a_to_dot_for_information_on_the_blackmount_and_haverhill_to_littleton_rail_lines_trails_including_funding_deeds_motorized_non-motorized_status_and_grant_applications.txt · Last modified: 2023/08/30 07:50 by 127.0.0.1
