Washington, United States: A key portion of the busiest rail corridor of the United States will be modernized, announced President Joe Biden. Accordingly, the section to be renovated is from Boston and Washington DC.
He further outlined the latest tranche of federal dollars to carry out the project. Biden also emphasized that he has traveled through the tunnel thousands of times and it has not undergone major upgrades for generations. Additionally, it was highlighted that the region represents around 20 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the US.
Highlighting the benefits of the upgradation of the tunnel, President Biden noted that delays would be reduced, goods and services would be delivered to market fast, and thousands of union jobs would be generated. Along with this, he stated that the project will also benefit the environment.
Biden stated, “If this line were to shut down for one day, it would cost the American economy $100 million a day,” according to Reuters.
This announcement also shows the personal connection of Biden with the project. This was the third time that the President hosted an event and highlighted the funding for the Northeast Corridor line.
It is to be noted that Wilmington station at Amtrak bears the name of President Biden, who has traveled more than a million miles on Amtrak, especially between Wilmington and Washington, as a US Senate, according to Reuters.
Fundings proposed by Biden
Earlier, from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law for rail projects on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, Biden announced funding of around US$16.4 billion. It is to be noted that the project supports around 800,000 trips daily.
How will the funds be utilized?
The money will help in the renovation and rebuilding of the bridges and tunnels that were constructed 100 years ago. The money will also assist in the upgradation of power systems, signals, stations, tracks and other infrastructure.
According to the plan shared by the US authorities, the funds will also contribute towards the study to improve the speed and efficiency between Washington and New York.
US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, in a statement, stated, “The bottom line is that for the over 200 million passengers who ride this rail corridor every year, these improvements are going to shorten travel times and improve reliability,” according to Reuters.
Major Projects
Reportedly, the major projects to receive the funding are the following:
- US$ 3.8 billion to expand the Hudson River Tunnel between New York and New Jersey,
- US$ 4.7 billion to rebuild the Frederick Douglass Tunnel,
- US$ 2.1 billion to reconstruct a rail bridge that crosses the Susquehanna River in Maryland to allow for higher speeds.
White House infrastructure czar – Mitch Landrieu stated, “The president is a train guy. He believes strongly in improving America’s passenger rail and he knows the Northeast Corridor like no one else.”