Amtrak has revealed the current progress of almost 30 high-speed rail infrastructure projects as part of its July update on the Northeast Corridor.
The map shows progress on headline projects like the Frederick Douglass Tunnel, Susquehanna River Bridge, and the Portal North Bridge.
Why It Matters
The Northeast Corridor from Massachusetts to Virginia is the most active trainline in the U.S, and Amtrak has long-term plans to double the number of passengers it carries in the next three decades. If these construction works go to plan, the route could transport 66 million people a year by 2040.
What To Know
Amtrak splits its infrastructure progress into four phases: concept planning, procurement, advanced design/preconstruction, and major construction/manufacturing.
In February, the 29 projects currently under progress showed nine projects in the advanced design and six in the major construction phase.
As of July 2, there are now eight projects in the advanced design phase, while two more have entered the major construction phase.
The projects that have entered the final stage, displayed as green in Amtrak’s key, are the Frederick Douglass Tunnel Program and the upgrades to Seattle’s rail yard.
There are currently six major construction sites: Hudson Tunnel Project, Portal North Bridge, Connecticut River Bridge, Baltimore Penn Station, Philadelphia Gray 30th Street Station, and Philadelphia rail yard.
The Northeast Corridor, which runs between Boston and Washington, D.C., with major metropolitan stops in New York City and Philadelphia, accounted for more than 14 million riders in 2024, a 15.9 percent increase from the previous year.
Much of the construction activity is concentrated between New York and northeastern New Jersey, as well as between Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
The 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) allocated $66 billion for rail projects, which was the largest federal investment in passenger rail since Amtrak was created.
What People Are Saying
In the update statement, Amtrak said: “America deserves world-class infrastructure, and here at Amtrak we are doing our part. With new investments, Amtrak is transforming into a modern and efficient intercity passenger rail operator achieving historic ridership demands while leading an innovative construction arm that leverages industry expertise to safely and efficiently deliver quality assets.”
We’re leading a strong American workforce and private-sector partners in building new bridges, tunnels, and trains to help meet the historic demand for intercity passenger rail and improve connections for millions of people in more than 500 cities, towns, and rural areas around the country.”
What Happens Next
The projects are expected to progress through all four phases to completion by 2040.
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