Amtrak and Partners Break Ground on New Connecticut River Bridge

Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner yesterday joined U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, Representative Joe Courtney, Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto, and other state and local officials to celebrate the start of construction for Amtrak’s new Connecticut River Bridge between Old Saybrook and Old Lyme, Connecticut.

The existing Connecticut River Bridge, which opens for maritime traffic several times a day in peak boating season, was completed in 1907 and today serves more than 50 daily Amtrak Northeast Regional and Acela trains, CTrail Shore Line East commuter service trains and freight trains. The aging bridge’s failure to open and close consistently can result in cascading delays to rail and maritime traffic.

The modern, more resilient, moveable bridge now being constructed by Amtrak will feature a trunnion bascule span design with modern track, signal, catenary, power, communication and other supporting rail infrastructure. It will support a maximum train operating speed of 70 mph, a 55% increase from today’s maximum speed of 45 mph. Maritime navigation and safety will also improve due to the increased vertical clearance of the new bridge compared to the existing bridge.

This investment 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.

Earlier this summer, Amtrak awarded a construction contract for the new bridge and held a pre-construction public meeting to educate community members about the upcoming work. Rail traffic will remain in service throughout the project, which is expected to conclude by 2031.

This $1.3 billion project is supported by a $826.64 million Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail grant from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), made possible by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The remaining portion will be funded by Amtrak and the State of Connecticut.

-via Press Release

Phase One Milestone of MTA Park Avenue Viaduct Replacement Project

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced a major Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) milestone with the completion of bridge replacement work on Phase 1 of the Park Avenue Viaduct Replacement Project. Through 128 bridge installations, the project replaced 8,240 track feet of the aging 132-year-old structure, all without disrupting Metro-North service. Thanks to strong project management and an innovative construction approach, the project as a whole is $93 million under budget and 51 months ahead of schedule.

Historic Railroad Equipment Display at Hoboken Terminal

On Sunday, October 12, the public is invited to Historic Hoboken Terminal to join NJ TRANSIT in celebrating New Jersey’s rich railroad history with some of the agency’s iconic heritage locomotives and railroad equipment – all while learning about career opportunities available on the railroad. “Meet Our Rail Fleet” will be held on Sunday, October 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. near Track 17 in Hoboken Terminal. Admission is free.