Construction recently began on Amtrak’s $1.3 billion Connecticut River Bridge between Old Saybrook and Old Lyme, Conn.
“Amtrak is thrilled to join our partners to break ground on the new Connecticut River Bridge, a project decades in the making,” Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner said at the groundbreaking ceremony. “When completed, this modern bridge will improve the customer experience by eliminating delays, providing faster journeys and modernizing another critical infrastructure asset in Connecticut that benefits the entire Northeast Corridor.”
The new bridge replace a structure built in 1907 that often fails to open and close, causing delays to rail and maritime traffic. More than 50 Amtrak Northeast Regional and Acela trains, CTrail Shore Line East commuter service trains and freight trains use the bridge daily.
The new moveable bridge will support a maximum train operating speed of 70 miles per hour, 55 percent fast than the current maximum speed of 45 mph. It will feature a trunnion bascule span design with modern catenary, communication, power, signal, track, and other supporting rail infrastructure.
The Federal Railroad Administration awarded the project a $826.6 million Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail grant. Amtrak and the State of Connecticut funded the remaining portion of the project.