The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has awarded nearly $10 billion funding to enable Amtrak to modernise critical infrastructure and improve stations on the Northeast Corridor between Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore. and Washington.
The funding was announced by President Biden yesterday, Wednesday, 16 November at Amtrak's Bear Maintenance Facility in Delaware, where its trains are maintained, overhauled. and repaired, and will also support future ridership growth. Among those present at the Presidential announcement was Amtrak Board Chair Tony Coscia and CEO Stephen Gardner.
In total, $16.4 billion in grant funding was announced that will support 12 Amtrak-led projects and 13 partner-led projects through the FRA's Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program (Fed-State NEC).
These new awards will provide a major contribution towards delivering the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act's (IIJA) vision for expanded and improved passenger rail, and follow the nearly $200 million that the FRA awarded Amtrak in September 2023.
Amtrak-led projects that will benefit from yesterday's announcement through the FRA's Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program (Fed-State NEC): range in value from under $4 million to up to $4.7 billion, and include:
- Frederick Douglass Tunnel Program;
- Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Project;
- East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project;
- Connecticut River Bridge Replacement Project;
- Dock Bridge Rehabilitation Project;
- Sawtooth Bridges Replacement Project;
- Baltimore Penn Station Redevelopment;
- Pelham Bay Bridge Replacement Project;
- Gunpowder River Bridge Replacement Program;
- NEC South End Infrastructure Renewal and Speed Improvement Planning Study;
- Bush River Bridge Replacement Program;
- New Haven to Providence Capacity Planning Study.
Another 13 projects led by Amtrak's partners also received funding, and range in value from under $15. Million to up to $1.64 billion, and include:
- Hudson Tunnel Project – Gateway Development Commission;
- Penn Station Access – MTA;
- Walk Bridge Replacement Project – CTDOT;
- Devon Bridge Replacement Project – CTDOT;
- Delco Lead – NJ TRANSIT;
- New Haven Line Power Improvement Program – CTDOT;
- Devon Bridge Interim Repairs – CTDOT;
- Hartford Line Rail Program Double Track (Phase 3B) Project – CTDOT;
- New Haven Line Track Improvement and Mobility Enhancement Part 1 and 3 – CTDOT;
- Newark Penn Station Vertical Circulation Improvements – NJ TRANSIT;
- Reconstruction of Cornwells Heights Station – SEPTA;
- Saugatuck River Bridge Replacement – CTDOT;
- New Haven Line Network Infrastructure Upgrade Project – CTDOT.
Further information about projects that will benefit from the grant funding can be found here.
Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner said: “These grants will help advance Amtrak's plans to modernize the Northeast Corridor and unlock major bottlenecks on the busiest passenger rail corridor in America.
“I want to thank President Biden, USDOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg and FRA Administrator Amit Bose for their continued support as Amtrak and our partners rebuild this critical infrastructure asset.”
