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Thu November 09, 2023 - Northeast Edition #26
Connecticut is set to receive nearly $2 billion in federal funding to repair bridges and update aging infrastructure that serve major rail lines along Amtrak's busy Northeast Corridor and other regional train services.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) selected 10 projects across the state for rehabilitation and modernization through the bipartisan infrastructure law that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden in 2021.
CT Mirror reported that Amtrak sought greater annual funding from Congress, warning of potential disruptions to services and raising concerns about updating its crumbling infrastructure. Some bridges with rail service in Connecticut have needed repairs or replacements for years to fix deteriorating conditions.
The money for some of the state's projects is part of a larger portion of $16.4 billion announced by the Biden administration Nov. 6 for multiple rail projects along the Northeast Corridor that shuttle passengers between Boston and Washington, D.C.
"This grant funding helps address a backlog of major projects and [upgrades] that will help improve the safety and reliability of rail service, offer operational flexibility, and provide for increased capacity, speed, and efficiencies of rail transportation along the Northeast Corridor," noted Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto in a statement.
Gov. Ned Lamont credited the efforts of both the Biden administration and Connecticut's congressional delegation in securing the transportation funding for a state and region that heavily relies upon rail, especially for commuting.
Nearly half of the money — about $827 million — is going toward the Connecticut River Bridge, a 116-year-old structure used by Amtrak's main line and intercity services as well as Connecticut Shoreline East and freight trains.
The funding will help to replace it with a new moveable bridge that connects the towns of Old Saybrook and Old Lyme. The project, slated to begin construction in 2024, will allow trains to operate at higher speeds — up to 70 mph — on the bridge.
State Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, noted that the current Connecticut River Bridge was deemed "structurally deficient" as far back as 2006. For the past few years, he and other lawmakers in the state's delegation have pushed for increased funding to help repair the crossing, located in his district.
"Today's announcement of an additional $826 million federal grant ensures that the entire construction phase will be fully funded, and not delayed any more by incremental piecemeal grants," Courtney said in a news release. "When this new bridge is finished, rail traffic will be safer and faster for passengers on the Northeast Corridor-Acela Express, Northeast Regional, and Shoreline East, as well as freight traffic."
The new grants also will help with bridge replacements in a few other areas of Connecticut, according to CT Mirror:
In addition, Connecticut's rail grants also will help with various repair projects on the New Haven Line and Hartford Line:
"The Northeast Corridor is the busiest rail line in the nation, and improvements here mean more jobs, continued economic growth, and improved quality of life," Lamont said in a statement. "Many of our railroad bridges are more than 100 years old, and this major investment of funding ensures that trains can operate with higher speeds and fewer disruptions well into the future."