A groundbreaking ceremony was recently held for the $150 million redevelopment and platform expansion project of Baltimore Penn Station.
The project will expand and modernize the building to accommodate passenger growth better and significantly improve the customer experience. Penn Station Partners will perform station improvements while Amtrak will conduct platform improvements to better accommodate Amtrak’s new and high-speed rail trains, improve ride quality, increase track capacity, and offer greater reliability.
The new platform will be ADA compliant. An overhead electrical system and an upgraded 30-mile stretch of track between Baltimore and Washington Union Station will also enable operation at higher speeds.
Platform improvements currently are underway while building facade renovations will begin by the end of the year. Over the next few years, construction work will be completed in phases.
Ceremony attendees included Federal Railroad Administration Deputy Administrator Amit Bose, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, representatives from Amtrak and Penn Station Partners, U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, and local and community leaders.
Penn Station was built in 1911 and last renovated in 1984. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 3 million passengers used the facility annually.