Looking south from the Maine Medical Center employee parking garage toward where the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority is considering building a new station near St. John Street in Portland. According to the concept plan, the station, platforms and pedestrian bridge over the tracks would be built directly behind the Tyson Foods plant at 54 St. John Street.Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

The proposed site for a new passenger station in Portland would be across from the Metro Bus Center on St. John Street and would connect to the Northern Light Mercy Hospital campus on Fore River Parkway.

The new location would cut Amtrak Downeaster’s northbound and southbound trips by 15 minutes – time currently required to bring the train onto a branch line of the CSX mainline and back down to reach the existing station at the Portland Transportation Center in Thompson’s Point.

Eliminating 20 train movements a day along the branch line would save nearly $1 million annually in labor and fuel costs while improving accessibility and reliability on the Downeaster, according to the latest proposal for a new station.

It is unclear how much private property along St. John Street would have to be purchased or expropriated for the project, and whether the site would accommodate the growing parking needs at the transit center that Downeaster officials hope to address.

The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, which operates the Downeaster, is seeking public comment on the selected site and concept plan by August 27.

The future site, selected by the authority’s board of directors in June, is just south of the branch line, allowing the train to remain on the main line during travel between Brunswick and Boston.

The site was selected from three possible locations along St John Street and, according to the proposal, also meets the authority’s objectives of improving access to vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle connections, public transport, train maintenance and additional rail services.

“This location offers the most opportunity and flexibility for rail operations,” Patricia Quinn, the authority’s executive director, said in a telephone interview Monday. “It also maximizes connectivity for rail access and mobility.”

Two other sites considered were further north along St. John Street, on either side of Congress Street. One was next to the Cumberland County Jail and a shopping center that replaced the Union Station complex that was demolished in 1961. The other site was on the west side of the main tracks, behind McDonald’s, Amato’s and other businesses between Congress Street and Park Avenue.

An artist’s impression of the proposed station looking north. The site, selected by the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority board in June, is just south of the junction, allowing the train to remain on the main line between Brunswick and Boston. Rendering courtesy of Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority

MaineHealth had several safety concerns about the potential impact of moving the station near the mall, according to the proposal. Northern Light Mercy said it would “work collaboratively to explore options” for the preferred location “that can be mutually beneficial, as long as the integrity of our campus and the safety of our employees and patients are maintained.”

The proposal for a new station, including a conceptual rendering by an architect and a feedback form, is posted on the agency’s website at nnepra.com/project/portland-station-relocation.

The next steps in the planning process include developing preliminary technical and environmental compliance plans and a cost estimate for the project, as well as applying for federal and non-federal funding for final design and construction.

Quinn had previously stated that a new station and new platforms would cost $25 to $30 million and could be completed within five years.

How many or which properties along St. John Street would need to be purchased or expropriated is unknown, Quinn said. The project area has not yet been surveyed, but affected property owners have been notified, she said.

“We are still at a very early stage of the process,” she said. “We have not yet started negotiations.”

Also unknown is whether the preferred location would meet the authority’s goal of providing 105 parking spaces at the new station, Quinn said.

According to the proposal, the new station would have adjacent parking lots with a circulation area for passengers to board and alight.

JUST A TWO-MINUTE STOP

It also includes two boarding platforms – one on each side of the main tracks – within the railroad line, an accessible pedestrian bridge over the tracks in accordance with federal regulations, and a climate-controlled, approximately 70 square meter passenger waiting area with ticket counters and restrooms.

“A main station with double platforms would only require a two-minute stop,” the proposal states.

According to the concept plan, the station, platforms and pedestrian bridge over the tracks would be built directly behind the Tyson Foods plant at 54 St. John Street.

Parking for the station would extend north along St. John Street, where several small businesses are already located, including a food truck business, a dog daycare and a construction company. Ferguson Plumbing Supply, 172 St. John St., the Eagles Club, 184 St. John St., and the adjacent MaineHealth parking garage would not be affected by the proposal as shown.

A three-story home at 158 ​​St. John Street is already for sale. Built in 1915, the commercial-residential duplex is listed for $659,000 with Locations Real Estate Group. Owner Matthew Hock would be willing to sell “for the right price,” said broker Kate Hodgson.

Other property owners could not be reached Monday or did not respond to interview requests.

The authority was created in 1995 by the Maine State Legislature to oversee the restoration and operation of mass transit from Boston to Maine. It manages the day-to-day operations of the Downeaster, including budgets, contracts, marketing and customer service.

The Downeaster currently offers five round-trip trips daily between Brunswick and Boston.

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