Biden Kicks Off $6 Billion Rail Tunnel Reconstruction Project in Baltimore
President Joe Biden will visit Baltimore on Monday to kick off a $6 billion rail tunnel reconstruction project funded by his Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The project will replace the 150-year-old Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel, a major bottleneck for Amtrak and freight rail commuters between Washington, D.C. and New Jersey.[0] Biden will be accompanied by Maryland Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.[1]
The project is expected to generate approximately 30,000 jobs, including 20,000 direct construction jobs.[2] An agreement between Amtrak and the Baltimore-DC Building and Construction Trades Council stipulates that the tunnel should be built by union workers.[3] The White House estimates the project will save millions of barrels of oil and reduce pollution.[4]
Commuters are being warned by the Baltimore City Department of Transportation of possible downtown congestion between the hours of 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.[5] [5] The transportation department encourages motorists to plan ahead if traveling in the downtown vicinity [6][5] Any vehicles found to be parked in areas where parking is prohibited will be issued a ticket and towed away.[6] From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Charm City Circulator Banner Route will experience a detour.[5] Certain MDOT MTA bus and light rail services will be impacted.[7]
On Tuesday, President Biden will go to New York to emphasize the expected backing for the $30 billion Gateway Hudson Tunnel Project, which is intended to reduce traffic between New York and New Jersey after a long wait.
Recounting how, in his daily trips between Washington and Delaware as a senator, he'd “been through this tunnel a thousand times,” Biden said, “when folks talk about how badly the Baltimore tunnel needs an upgrade, you don't need me to tell you. I've been there and you've been there, too.”[8] He added, “The Frederick Douglass Tunnel will be all electric, and we’ll continue to invest in rail to make it easier for people to use its potential to take thousands of vehicles — thousands of vehicles — off the highways, including the interstate, and save millions barrels of oil and reduce pollution,” he said.[4] This will be a major turning point for the environment too.[4]
0. “President Biden to boast replacement of deteriorating 150-year-old Baltimore tunnel Monday” WTOP, 29 Jan. 2023, https://wtop.com/local/2023/01/president-biden-in-baltimore-monday-to-discuss-replacement-of-150old-tunnel/
1. “Biden to visit Baltimore for rail tunnel project kickoff” The Hill, 30 Jan. 2023, https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/3835538-biden-to-visit-baltimore-for-rail-tunnel-project-kickoff
2. “Biden touts $6 billion rail tunnel replacement, highlighting infrastructure law” ABC News, 30 Jan. 2023, https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-touts-6-billion-rail-tunnel-replacement-highlighting/story?id=96769576
3. “Watch: Biden touts latest infrastructure project, replacing a 150-year-old train tunnel in Baltimore” CNBC, 30 Jan. 2023, https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/30/watch-live-biden-talks-plans-for-a-new-rail-tunnel-in-baltimore.html
4. “Biden Kicks Off Work to Relieve East Coast Amtrak Bottleneck” Transport Topics Online, 30 Jan. 2023, https://www.ttnews.com/articles/biden-kicks-work-relieve-east-coast-amtrak-bottleneck
5. “Traffic Alert: President Joe Biden scheduled to visit Baltimore on Monday. See possible road closures” WBAL Radio, 30 Jan. 2023, https://www.wbal.com/article/601905/3/traffic-alert-president-joe-biden-scheduled-to-visit-baltimore-on-monday-see-possible-road-closures
6. “President Joe Biden's Baltimore visit Monday expected to create traffic downtown” Baltimore Sun, 29 Jan. 2023, https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/baltimore-city/bs-md-ci-joe-biden-tunnel-transportation-traffic-20230129-s3vzuj2zhvfklm6hsebnnwpmm4-story.html
7. “Heavy traffic expected as Biden visits Baltimore” CBS Baltimore, 23 Jan. 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/heavy-traffic-expected-as-biden-visits-baltimore
8. “‘Amtrak Joe' touts transit funding for Northeast Corridor” Roll Call , 30 Jan. 2023, https://www.rollcall.com/2023/01/30/amtrak-joe-touts-transit-funding-for-northeast-corridor/
