On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced it was making available more than $2 billion in funding for projects along the Northeast Corridor.
Part of the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program funding, the money will fund critical infrastructure modernization effort to provide safer, faster and more reliable passenger rail services along the Northeast Corridor, officials said. The Notice of Funding Opportunity will build on other Northeast Corridor investments, including those to advance major projects like the Gateway Program Hudson River Tunnel Project in New York and New Jersey, and the Frederick Douglass Tunnel and Susquehanna River Bridge Replacement Programs in Maryland.
“Hundreds of thousands of passengers travel along the Northeast Corridor every day, and the Biden-Harris Administration is funding much-needed improvements to this vital rail corridor,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said. “With over $2 billion becoming available today, we will build on investments initiated last year and continue propelling America’s busiest passenger rail corridor towards greater speed, safety, and reliability.”
The funding is part of the Bipartisan infrastructure law and will bring the corridor on track to meet the needs of 21st Century travelers and commuters, officials said. The new NOFO joins more than $16 billion awarded in 2023 for 25 projects along the Boston, MA to Washington, DC corridor. Some of those investments will rebuild tunnels and bridges that are more than 100 years old while modernizing tracks, power systems, signals and stations to improve track times, increase operating speeds and reduce delays.
“The President’s investments in rail will be felt by generations to come, beginning with immediate benefits to communities and continuing to ensure essential rail corridors like the Northeast Corridor are modern, safe, and convenient, giving Americans access to world-class passenger service,” FRA Administrator Amit Bose said. “We are thrilled to announce the opening of the Fed State-NEC’s notice of funding to applicants within the NEC Project Inventory, streamlining the process for much-needed funding based on demand.”
Applications for funding are due in 60 days and the NOFO can be found on the Federal Register, along with program requirements, evaluation and selection criteria.