Project will transform the 150-year-old B&P Tunnel, now renamed The Frederick Douglass Tunnel
ANNAPOLIS, MD—Today, Governor Wes Moore and Lt. Governor Aruna Miller joined President Biden and US. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to celebrate the partnership agreement between Amtrak and the Maryland Department of Transportation, and kickoff the B&P Tunnel Replacement Program in Baltimore. The project will replace the 150-year-old infrastructure and improve the safety, reliability, and efficiency of Maryland's rail transportation system; saving over seven hours of train delays every weekday.
“Modernizing the Frederick Douglass Tunnel will bring new opportunities into our communities, and help secure Maryland's transportation future," said Governor Moore. “This project stands as more evidence of our commitment to transform transit throughout the state, and we are grateful to have the support of the Biden-Harris administration.
The state will invest $450 million to support this major infrastructure project. The project will be significantly funded by the Biden-Harris Administration's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Construction of the Frederick Douglass tunnel will generate up to 30,000 jobs in the Baltimore region, including 20,000 construction jobs. These jobs will be spread out over 10 years and will create sustained investment in the region.
The existing B&P Tunnel is the oldest tunnel on the Northeast Corridor. The B&P Tunnel Replacement Program will transform and modernize the infrastructure to include two new high-capacity tubes for electrified passenger trains, new roadway and railroad bridges, new rail systems and track, and a new ADA-accessible West Baltimore MARC station.
“We will continue to work closely with all of our partners to advance the Frederick Douglass Tunnel and support the region with innovative transportation solutions," said Paul J. Wiedefeld, Acting Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation. “This critical infrastructure project will improve both passenger and commuter rail for Marylanders."