Amtrak advances planning for Maryland bridge replacements

Amtrak has selected HNTB to provide architectural and engineering services for two major bridge replacement projects in Maryland.

The Bush River Bridge and Gunpowder River Bridge span a critical section of the Northeast Corridor between Baltimore, Maryland, and Wilmington, North Carolina. The bridges each carry over 100 Amtrak, Maryland Area Rail Commuter (MARC) and Norfolk Southern Railway freight trains per day, Amtrak officials said in a press release.

The 113-year-old bridges' aging infrastructure restricts train speeds, needs constant maintenance and causes traffic bottlenecks for passenger services. Additionally, the movable Bush River Bridge requires a 20-person crew during summer weekends to hand crank it open for marine traffic. The bridge has also failed to close in the past, causing delays. 

Replacing the bridges will improve reliability and allow Amtrak and MARC to increase service in the future, according to Amtrak. Upgraded track alignment, signal systems and electric traction on the new bridges will expand capacity and allow for higher operating speeds on the bridges — up to 145 mph on Gunpowder River Bridge and up to 160 mph on Bush River Bridge, compared to 125 mph today. The new Bush River Bridge will be fixed to better support marine traffic.

Preliminary engineering work, which is on track to conclude in 2029, is primarily funded through a grant from the Federal Railroad Administration with additional contributions from Amtrak and the Maryland Transit Administration. The projects are funded through the preliminary engineering and environmental review phases; additional funding will need to be sourced for final design and construction.