(Railfanning.org News Wire) — Amtrak has reached a major milestone on two bridge replacement projects in Maryland: the Bush River Bridge and the Gunpowder River Bridge, selecting HNTB for architectural and engineering services for both projects, including community engagement to inform the final design.
In a release, Amtrak said the bridges span a critical section of the Northeast Corridor between Baltimore and Wilmington, each carrying over 100 Amtrak, MARC commuter, and freight trains per day. Fully replacing both bridges will improve safety and reliability while enabling Amtrak and MARC to add more train service in the future, as needed, to accommodate record growth.
Preliminary engineering is on track to conclude in 2029. HNTB has supported Amtrak on several bridge projects along the NEC, including ongoing work to replace the Susquehanna River Bridge in Maryland and the Portal North Bridge in New Jersey.
Completed in 1913, the Gunpowder River Bridge is located between Chase and Joppatowne, Maryland. To the north is Bush River Bridge, another 113-year-old bridge located between Edgewood and Perryman, Maryland.
Due to their age and deteriorating condition, the bridges experience reliability issues. Bush River Bridge must open for boat traffic, and its outdated infrastructure requires a team to hand-crank it open. When the bridge has failed to close in the past, Amtrak trains between New York, Philadelphia, and Washington face massive delays. In 2019 alone, the Bush River Bridge directly caused more than 72 hours of delays for Amtrak and MARC trains.
This step in the planning process is primarily funded by a grant from the Federal Railroad Administration, along with contributions from Amtrak and the Maryland Transit Administration. Both bridges are listed as key priorities on the FRA’s NEC Project Inventory. Work is currently funded through preliminary engineering and NEPA review; additional future funding would be required for final design and construction.
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