Amtrak Selects Design Firm for Two Railway Bridge Replacement Projects

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 8, the U.S. National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) selected engineering consulting firm HNTB to provide architectural and engineering design services for the replacement of the Bush River Railway Bridge and the Gunpowder River Railway Bridge in Maryland. Both bridges are located on the Baltimore to Wilmington segment of the U.S. Northeast Corridor, with combined daily traffic involving more than 100 passenger and freight trains. The project is scheduled to complete preliminary engineering design in 2029, with final design and construction funding still to be secured.

The design services cover the full replacement of both existing bridges and include modifications to surrounding railway infrastructure. According to the plan announced by Amtrak, the supporting works will upgrade the track alignment, signal systems, and electric traction facilities along approximately 10 miles (about 16 kilometers) of the Northeast Corridor, and increase line capacity after both bridges are completed. HNTB will also conduct community outreach to provide relevant input for the final design.

The Gunpowder River Railway Bridge was built in 1913 and is located between Chase and Joppatowne, Maryland. The existing bridge has a maximum train operating speed of approximately 125 mph (about 201 km/h), and the new bridge is planned to increase the maximum operating speed to 145 mph (about 233 km/h). The Bush River Railway Bridge is also 113 years old and connects Edgewood and Perryman. The new bridge is designed for a target speed of 160 mph (about 257 km/h).

The existing Bush River Bridge uses a movable structure to meet vessel navigation requirements. When the bridge is opened on summer weekends, approximately 20 workers are needed for manual operation. In 2019, operational failures such as the bridge failing to close properly after opening caused cumulative delays of more than 72 hours for Amtrak and Maryland commuter rail trains. The replacement project is intended to use a fixed-span structure, eliminating the manual opening operations of the existing bridge while still meeting river vessel navigation requirements.

Funding for the preliminary phase of this project comes mainly from grants from the U.S. Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), with Amtrak and the Maryland Transit Administration jointly contributing. The funding currently secured covers preliminary engineering design and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review, while final design and main bridge construction still require additional funding. Both bridges are included on the Federal Railroad Administration's list of Northeast Corridor priority projects.

The replacement projects for the two bridges will advance design plans and environmental reviews separately. HNTB is responsible for the current round of architectural and engineering design services, while Amtrak is responsible for project advancement and related funding coordination.