Baltimore Delegation Members Announce $8 Million in Federal Funding for Amtrak

Today, the Baltimore congressional delegation, including U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, and Kweisi Mfume (all D-Md.) announced $8 million in new federal funding to upgrade Amtrak’s primary line in Baltimore, a critical hub for commuters and travelers. The funding is part of a grant from the 2019 Federal-State Partnership for the State of Good Repair Program and follows a December 20, 2019 letter of support to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao from Senators Van Hollen and Cardin and Congressmen Ruppersberger and Sarbanes.

The funds will help upgrade a 5-mile section of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor (NEC) mainline near Baltimore, Maryland to allow for faster travel, fewer bottlenecks, and a better ride experience for passengers. The project will make vital infrastructure improvements and spur economic development in this priority region.

“The Northeast Corridor is the backbone of our region’s rail transit, and Baltimore serves as a crucial connecting hub for commuters and travelers alike. These much-needed updates will help better ensure Amtrak’s safety and efficiency while also encouraging economic development in the area,” said the delegation members. “We were proud to fight for this funding and will continue working to secure federal investments in Amtrak to ensure it can weather COVID-19, continue serving and employing our residents, and drive economic opportunity to our state.”

The Federal-State Partnership for the State of Good Repair Program totals nearly $400 million in grants allocated across the country. Per the Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration, the program sought applications for projects to repair, replace, or rehabilitate qualified railroad assets to reduce the repair backlog and improve intercity passenger rail performance. More details on the grants awarded are available here.