Amtrak has selected an AECOM-led joint venture with Jacobs as its delivery partner for the $6 billion Frederick Douglass Tunnel Program to upgrade a ten-mile section of the Northeast Corridor, America’s busiest passenger rail line.
The Frederick Douglass Tunnel, the program’s cornerstone, will feature two new high-capacity tubes for electrified passenger trains, replacing the existing 150-year-old B&P Tunnel. Once complete, it should deliver a faster, more reliable trip for more than 12 million annual Amtrak and MARC customers.
“As the trusted delivery partner on some of the world’s most transformative rail projects, we’re proud to continue our long-standing history with Amtrak to deliver this highly complex tunneling program,” said Mark Southwell, chief executive of AECOM’s global Transportation business. “This ambitious program will enhance passenger mobility by unlocking the biggest rail bottleneck between Washington D.C. and New Jersey while also supporting low-carbon, electrified service and fostering economic growth through job creation in Baltimore and the surrounding region.”
The program will also include delivery of a new roadway and railroad bridges, new rail systems and track, and a new ADA-accessible West Baltimore MARC station. Further updates will involve integrating modern fire and safety systems, including emergency pathways to the surface and fire ventilation systems.
