WASHINGTON — A series of Northeast Corridor efforts to replace century-old infrastructure highlights 11 passenger-rail projects receiving more than $233 million in Federal Railroad Administration grant funding.
The grants announced today (Thursday, Aug. 18) by the U.S. Department of Transportation are part of the Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Program. The projects included are in eight states.
“From Amtrak on the East and West Coasts to commuter rail in cities across the country, Americans rely on intercity passenger rail to travel, get to work, and visit loved ones,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a press release. “The Partnership Program improves upon this safe, affordable, and environmentally friendly mode of transportation and brings us closer to delivering the world-class passenger service Americans deserve.”
One of the awards, for concourse improvements at Chicago Union Station, was announced Wednesday by members of the Illinois congressional delegation [see “Federal grant will fund preparations …,” Trains News Wire, Aug. 18, 2022].
The Northeast Corridor grants include:
— In Connecticut, up to $65.2 million for replacement of a bridge over the Connecticut River, and up to $20 million for replacement of two power substations on the state-owned New Haven Line. The existing bridge, between Old Saybrook and Old Lyme, CT, opened in 1907. The new bridge will provide additional clearance for marine traffic, allow train speeds to increase from 45 mph to 70 mph, and reduce the number of delays for bridge openings. This is the second award of $65.2 million for the project, following one in 2020. More information on the project is available here.
The new substations on the New Haven Line, used by more than 350 commuter trains and 60 Amtrak trains, will be more reliable and energy efficient, less costly to maintain, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
— In New Jersey, up to $45 million for replacement of the Sawtooth Bridges, two 110-year-old structures in Kearny used by Amtrak and NJ Transit. The two existing bridges will be replaced with three new ones, with four tracks providing redundancy for operations during maintenance work or service disruptions. They will also allow an increase in operating speed above the current 60 mph. More information is available here.
— In Maryland, up to $20 million to fund final design for replacement of the 116-year-old, Amtrak-owned Susquehanna River Bridge between Perryville and Havre de Grace, also used by MARC commuter trains and freight service. Plans are for a new bridge that will allow train operation at up to 125 mph, with greater clearance above the river and a movable span that can open and close more efficiently. More information is available here.
— In New York, up to $10.7 million for work necessary in advance of the East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project, and up to $4.5 million for preliminary stages of the Pelham Bay Bridge Replacement Project. The tunnel which carries Amtrak Northeast Corridor and Long Island Rail Road trains as well as non-revenue NJ Transit moves. Before tunnel work can begin, a connection to Sunnyside Yard must be reinstalled and improved, and an electric traction power cable must be relocated. More information is available here.
The Pelham Bay Bridge over the Hutchinson River in the Bronx dates to 1907. It still opens regularly for marine traffic and sometimes fails to close properly, and also has a 45-mile speed restriction. A new structure will increase clearance for marine traffic and raise operating speeds to 60 to 100 mph. More information is available here. The grant will fund preliminary engineering and completion of necessary environmental documentation.
Projects elsewhere receiving grants are:
— In New York, up to $28.2 million to replace a 520-foot-long, low-level platform with a high-level platform at Rhinecliff Station, 90 miles from New York City on the route of Empire Service trains. The project will also include new access to the platform including stairs, elevators, and a pedestrian brides, as well as track and signal work needed to allow an increase in Empire Service operations.
— In California, up to $27.3 million for improvements in Oceanside, Calif., on the Surf Line route used by Amtrak, Metrolink, and BNSF freight moves. The project will replace a 100-year-old, single-track bridge over the San Luis Rey River with a two-track structure, as well as improving a grade-crossing, bike path, pedestrian underpass, grading, drainage and signals.
— In Massachusetts, up to $7.6 million for replacement of the more than century-old South Elm Street Bridge on the MBTA’s Haverhill Line, which is also used by Amtrak traffic. More information is available here.
— In Michigan, up to $1.6 million for reconstruction of five deficient bridges on the state-owned rail line between Kalamazoo and Dearborn, used by Amtrak’s Wolverine and Blue Water trains. The work will improve reliability, increase load ratings, and avoid future bridge closures.
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