Amtrak announced that the procurement process for selecting a contractor for the building of a new Connecticut River Bridge, which will be delivered using the design-bid-build delivery method, will begin in early 2023. The construction is anticipated to begin in early 2024.
Trains will be able to run on more up-to-date infrastructure, improving reliability and reducing delays for commuters. Amtrak plans to award the contract in late 2023 as part of a $500 million investment from itself, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT), and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).
Partners
- Amtrak
- Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT)
Amtrak, CTRail’s Shore Line East, and freight trains all use the Connecticut River Bridge, which was first constructed in 1907 and spans the river between the towns of Old Saybrook and Old Lyme on the Northeast Corridor (NEC).
A New Era of Railway Reliability
According to Amtrak spokesperson Jason Abrams, the oldest rolling lift cantilevered bridge on the Northeast Corridor between New Haven, Connecticut, and Boston “fails to open and close properly, which has resulted in cascading delays to rail and maritime traffic.” “The operational reliability of the existing bridge is at high risk because of its age and deteriorated condition.”
“Building a new Connecticut River Bridge is one of several projects Amtrak is advancing that signifies we’re in a new era for rail,” said Laura Mason, Amtrak’s Executive Vice President, Capital Delivery. We appreciate the help of our partners, and we eagerly await the contract award so that we can start digging for a project that will increase the reliability of the Northeast Corridor (NEC) and train travel in Connecticut and beyond.
Senator Richard Blumenthal of the United States stated that necessary upgrades to Connecticut’s rail system are imminent to enhance rail service for passengers. The busy rail line of the NEC must pass over the crucial Connecticut River Bridge, which is in desperate need of repairs.
Building a two-track, electrified, and durable movable bridge structure with the new track, signal, catenary, power, communication, controls, and security features is the project’s primary objective. The new bridge’s design life is predicted to be 100 years. Trains will be able to run on more up-to-date infrastructure, improving reliability and reducing delays for commuters.
Environmental permitting, project management of all design disciplines, numerous specialty subconsultants, track design, topographic and bathymetric surveys, geotechnical investigations, foundation design, approach design, right-of-way and easement determinations, utility investigations, and engineering are all included in the project’s scope.
What to Expect?
- Enhanced Railway Reliability
- Greater Speeds
- Improved Rail and Maritime Operations
Amtrak employed engineering company Hardesty & Hanover of New York City as a third-party consultant to create the design for the new bridge. According to H&H’s website, the project’s lead designer will create “the off-line replacement of a two-track electrified bascule railroad bridge crossing a major tidal river with approximately 1500 ft of approach structure and nearly one mile of at-grade approach work.”
Beginning in the first quarter of the fiscal year 2024, the construction is anticipated to be finished by 2029.
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