Improvements are underway to replace the 150-year-old Baltimore & Potomac Tunnel and ease a major bottleneck in the Northeast Corridor.
A recent video from Amtrak outlines the progress being made to construct the replacement Frederick Douglass Tunnel in West Baltimore, which is forecasted to generate up to 30,000 jobs in the region, including 20,000 construction jobs.
As the oldest tunnel on the Northeast Corridor, replacing the B&P Tunnel is essential to the Baltimore community’s modernization. In addition to two new tubes for passenger trains, the infrastructure project will create an ADA-compliant station and improve bridges and streets in the surrounding neighborhood.
With help from the Maryland Transit Administration, Amtrak, and other partners, the Frederick Douglass Tunnel will save Marylanders time when commuting and traveling, and diminish delays for travelers visiting the state via rail line. The expected completion date for the project is 2035.
“The Frederick Douglass Tunnel Program is nothing short of a gamechanger for Maryland,” said Governor Wes Moore, “generating fresh opportunities for our communities and helping to secure our transportation future.”
This is one of several transportation infrastructure projects currently underway in the state.
In 2021, Maryland broke ground on the Howard Street Tunnel expansion project to provide 18 extra inches of clearance, allowing double-stacked container freight trains to travel to and from the Port of Baltimore with ease. The ability to double-stack containers through Baltimore will help the Port grow its annual business by about 160,000 containers while creating 13,000 new jobs in construction and operations. It is also expected to reduce the cost for moving container shipments throughout the state and reduce congestion surrounding the I-95 corridor.
Progress on the 129-year-old Howard Street Tunnel has moved forward, with a temporary route currently operating double-stack rail service for CSX in Baltimore. Construction is expected to be completed next year.
