At Celebration of Amtrak’s 50th Anniversary, Governor Hogan Announces Maryland’s Commitment to Replace Aging B&P Tunnel
ANNAPOLIS, MD—At an event this evening to mark Amtrak’s 50th anniversary, Governor Larry Hogan announced the State of Maryland’s commitment to working with Amtrak and the federal government to replace the aging B&P Tunnel in Baltimore City. The current 147-year-old tunnel is a critical part of the state’s transportation infrastructure, serving over 9 million customers annually on Amtrak and MARC service.
“I have directed Maryland Transportation Secretary Greg Slater to immediately advance discussions with Amtrak on an historic partnership to finally replace the 147-year old B&P Tunnel here in Baltimore,” said Governor Hogan. “This is a critical project for Baltimore, for the State of Maryland, and for the entire Northeast Corridor of the United States, and we plan to work with Amtrak and the federal government to move it forward as expeditiously as possible.”
The existing B&P Tunnel, which is the oldest tunnel on the Northeast Corridor, suffers from structural issues, a lack of fire and life safety systems, and requires excessive maintenance to keep in operation. It is currently the biggest rail bottleneck between Washington, D.C. and New Jersey and causes chronic delays for MARC passengers.
“Four of the most critical infrastructure projects in Maryland are the Howard Street Tunnel, Purple Line, American Legion Bridge, and B&P Tunnel with the B&P Tunnel being the last one to gain momentum,” said Secretary Greg Slater of the Maryland Department of Transportation. “The B&P Tunnel, American Legion Bridge, and Howard Street Tunnel are part of the nation’s aging infrastructure in need of major repairs or replacement.”
Construction of a new B&P Tunnel is expected to generate 30,000 jobs in the Baltimore region over 10 years, including 20,000 construction jobs. The project will allow for growth in train capacity and open the door for express train service in under 30 minutes between Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
Replacing the B&P Tunnel is the latest major transportation initiative advanced by the Hogan administration in Baltimore City, which also includes the Howard Street Tunnel project to break another major East Coast bottleneck and add up to 10,000 jobs in the region.
