[ad_1]
An ambitious plan to rebuild infrastructure causing delays on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor line in eight states and cut a train ride from New York to Boston by nearly 30 minutes was unveiled by Amtrak on Wednesday, federal officials and those responsible for public transit.
The 15-year, $ 117 billion Connect NEC 35 plan was unveiled at Moynihan Station in Manhattan by the Northeast Corridor Commission, a consortium of eight states, nine transit providers, including NJ Transit, Amtrak and agencies. federal transportation. Commission members approved the plan on June 24, said Nicole Bucich, director of planning for the NEC Commission.
The plan would increase speed, reduce travel time and resolve the backlog of lingering infrastructure issues that can delay commuters and rail travelers over long distances, according to the commission. The plan, dubbed C35, also includes megaprojects such as the $ 11.6 billion Gateway project to build two new rail tunnels under the Hudson River and a 150-year-old rail tunnel replacement project in Baltimore. .
“We can deliver benefits by 2035 and do high-speed rail in segments and reduce travel times,” said Amit Bose, deputy administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration and co-chair of the NEC Commission. The plans promise to increase Amtrak train capacity by 33% and double the capacity of commuter railways that use the NEC.
The busiest and only high-speed rail line in the country, the NEC is used by 2,220 trains and provides approximately 750,000 trips per day. C35 would increase NJ Transit’s total daily round trips from 196 to 465, according to the plan.
The plan tackles undamaged repair projects, addressing infrastructure failures that frustrate long-distance commuters and rail travelers.
Among the most significant proposals is the New Jersey High Speed Rail Network Improvement Program, which includes upgrades to electrical power, signaling systems, tracks and overhead catenaries to expand operations to large areas. New Brunswick speed to Newark.
Sections of the northeast corridor have overhead signals and cables that are over 80 years old. Wires and power issues took their toll on commuters in July 2015 with four working days of blackouts resulting in delays and stranded passengers on NEC trains.
In the New York metropolitan area, which includes the New Jersey NEC, the plan calls for the replacement of 1.14 million linear feet of rail, 76,000 ties that support the rails, 190 switches that allow trains to change lanes , 3,300 catenary poles that support the overhead cables that drive the powertrains and 100 low bridges.
It includes the construction of the Hunter “flyover” bridge south of Newark Penn Station so that Raritan Valley Line trains can exit and enter the NEC without crossing the entire NEC and delaying trains. This would further the goal of giving RVL passengers a one-seater ride to New York City, instead of changing trains in Newark as they do now, the group said.
It includes work that is part of the larger Gateway project, such as building an addition south of Penn Station New York, building the Bergen Loop Tracks to allow Bergen County Line trains to merge with the NEC and to provide one-seat ride service to New York, building a second portal bridge over the Hackensack River at Kearny.
The most ambitious part of the plan is to create new high-speed corridors between New Haven, Connecticut and Providence, Rhode Island and between Baltimore and Washington DC on the NEC.
“It’s not just about bullet train, it’s about rebuilding assets in all (eight) states,” said Stephen Gardner, president of Amtrak.
The price tag for the overall plan is $ 117 billion and it is expected to create 1.7 million jobs and generate $ 100 million in economic benefits, Gardner said.
The C35 report says it has a $ 100 billion funding gap, beyond projects already funded, such as the $ 1.8 billion Portal Bridge North on the Hackensack River replacement.
Funding could potentially come from a variety of sources, starting with the $ 547 billion infrastructure bill currently pending in Congress.
“We have the plan, hopefully they have the funding,” Gardner said. “This will dramatically reduce (travel) times through the NEC. “
Other sources of funding for C35 projects could be various rail infrastructure grants and low-interest loan programs, said Nuria Fernandez, administrator of the Federal Transit Administration.
Projects that benefit particular states could rely on those states to share some of the funding, much like New Jersey and New York are doing to fund half of the Gateway Tunnel project, she said.
Our journalism needs your support. Please register today at NJ.com.
Larry Higgs can be reached at [email protected].
[ad_2]
Source link