HAVRE DE GRACE, MD — Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner joined U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg, Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Amit Bose, Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld, MTA Administrator Holly Arnold, and other state and local officials to mark the start of Amtrak’s Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Project in Northeast Maryland.
The Susquehanna River Rail Bridge is a vital piece of infrastructure that serves approximately 110 daily Amtrak, MARC commuter rail, and freight trains. This $2.7 billion project, supported by President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will ensure continued connectivity along the Northeast Corridor (NEC) — America’s busiest passenger rail corridor — while enabling plans to expand intercity passenger rail service in the region and across the nation.
“Amtrak is excited to kick off early work on this important bridge upgrade, one of several major Amtrak infrastructure megaprojects now underway or set to begin by the end of 2024,” Gardner said. “Amtrak is advancing a new era of passenger rail with state-of-the-art bridges, tunnels, and trains on the way.”
“The Susquehanna River Bridge project is another example of how the Biden-Harris Administration is making historic investments in passenger rail and delivering safer, faster more reliable service along the Northeast Corridor,” Trottenberg said. “Our department is supporting this project with more than $2 billion in grant funding and ensuring the Susquehanna River Bridge can continue linking communities in Maryland and across eight states for generations to come.”
The first pre-construction work includes removal of remnant bridge piers from the Susquehanna River and utility upgrades in the Town of Perryville. In the Susquehanna River, an Amtrak contractor is safely demolishing and removing 10 remnant piers. These leftover piers remain from an 1866 railroad bridge that was located just east of the existing bridge and had its superstructure removed several decades ago.
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Although no longer utilized, the remnant piers have long remained an impediment to boaters. The federal environmental review process for this project identified that removal of the remnant bridge piers would be necessary to build the new and improved bridge, while also improving navigation along this portion of the Susquehanna River. Removal of all 10 remnant piers is scheduled for completion by the end of this year.
In Perryville, Amtrak is working with two local utility companies to complete critical upgrades necessary before construction of the first bridge can begin. Baltimore Gas & Electric will replace the existing 1930s-era transmission tower that exclusively feeds power to an Amtrak substation, and in turn, the electrified NEC. It must be relocated to avoid conflicts with the future west bridge approach.
Additionally, Delmarva is relocating aerial power lines underground to make way for the project, eliminate future aerial conflicts, and provide a more reliable service to the town and customers. This early work sets the state for the start of bridge construction later next year.
When completed, the Susquehanna River Rail Bridge Project will:
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- Increase passenger rail capacity with two new two-track bridges (compared to just two tracks today)
- Modernize and improve 5 miles of track, catenary, and signals, including three interlockings
- Improve reliability and safety
- Increase trains speeds with a higher maximum speed of 160 mph, enabling faster trip times
- Eliminate conflicts with maritime traffic due to the new, higher fixed-span bridges
