Gov. Larry Hogan announced Wednesday that the planned Howard Street Tunnel expansion project in Baltimore can move forward now that it has received a Finding of No Significant Impact as part of its environmental assessment.
As part of the project’s review under the National Environmental Policy Act, the finding represents final approval for the tunnel project.
“The Howard Street Tunnel expansion is a major infrastructure project that will significantly increase business for the Port of Baltimore,” Hogan said. “This project will have a tremendous impact on Maryland’s economy, improve the flow of goods, and generate thousands of jobs in the Baltimore region.”
The project will expand the Howard Street Tunnel to accommodate double-stacked container trains, increasing the efficiency and capacity of the 126-year-old tunnel. The approval now allows tunnel owner CSX to finalize engineering and obtain permits to begin construction which is expected to start later this year.
“The final NEPA approval for the Howard Street Tunnel project is great news for the Port of Baltimore,” said MDOT MPA Executive Director William P. Doyle. “The reconstructed tunnel will grow our container business, opening up incredible business opportunities into the Midwest. It also will help reduce fuel consumption by 137 million gallons via this rail throughput. A Howard Street Tunnel that’s able to handle double-stack trains will grow jobs at the Port and get the Port over its longtime hurdle, the lack of double-stack rail.”
The project is estimated to cost $466 million, down from an originally projected cost of between $1 and $4 billion. Funding for the project will come from Maryland ($202.5 million), federal Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grants ($125 million), CSX ($113 million), Pennsylvania ($22.5 million), and federal highway formula funding ($3 million).