A joint venture led by infrastructure consulting firm AECOM, which includes Jacobs, has been chosen by Amtrak to serve as delivery partner for the $6 billion Frederick Douglass Tunnel Program in Baltimore.
The project will upgrade a 10-mile section of the Northeast Corridor (NEC), America’s busiest passenger rail line.
The existing B&P Tunnel at the site dates from the Civil War era, according to Amtrak’s website. At nearly 150 years old, it is the oldest tunnel along this section of the NEC and is a bottleneck for operations of MARC and Amtrak passenger trains. The 1.4-mile tunnel, connecting Amtrak’s Penn Station to MARC’s West Baltimore station, is affected by a variety of age-related issues, including excessive water infiltration, a deteriorating structure and a sinking floor. According to Amtrak, trains are frequently delayed traveling through the tunnel, and speeds are limited to just 30 mph due to the tunnel’s tight curves.
Work under the Fr