The biggest investment in rail in generations has just occurred, changing the trajectory of what the United States can do for passenger ail in years to come.
Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg said “For decades now we have underinvested in passenger rail in the United States, Including along the Northeast Corridor.”
Not anymore.
The most recent release of funds from the Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Rollout included $16.4 billion for 25 different major projects along Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor located from Boston, Massachusetts to Washington D.C. These grants which the White House and U.S. Department of Transportation announced on November 6, 2023 will be used to replace, upgrade or expand tunnels, bridges, electrical systems, tracks and signaling, some of which that date back over 100 years to the early days of the 20th century as stated by Engineering News Record (ENR).
How Will Funds Be Allocated?
Of the 25 passenger rail projects receiving funds for infrastructure upgrades, the largest portion of the money will be allocated toward the replacement of the 150-year-old Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel with the newly named Frederick Douglas Tunnel. The total funds allocated toward this new project out of the $16.4 billion round out to $4.7 billion.
The second largest allocation of funds will go to the Gateway project's Hudson River Tunnel between New York City and northern New Jersey with a total of $3.8 billion in phased funding. This tunnel, which is over 100 years old, serves more than 200,000 passengers daily and has experienced significant damage from large storms over the years.
Other significant areas of funding will go to the Susquehanna River Bridge replacement project ($2.1 billion), the Penn Station Access Project in New York ($1.6 billion), and the Connecticut River Bridge project ($827 million). All of these upgrades will be used to improve travel times associated with the Northeast Corridor’s outdated infrastructure, which needs constant maintenance and repair due to age-related damages.
Why Is This Important?
The Northeast Corridor is the most heavily traveled rail corridor in the United States as stated in The White Houses’ Press Release. This rail system supports over 800,000 trips per day and if shut down would cost the U.S. economy over $100 million in lost productivity every 24 hours. Not only would this have a major impact on the regional and national economy at large, but it would affect millions of families. Although expensive repairs and new construction are needed to assist in furthering the development of this transit system, many jobs within the AEC industry will also be created from these projects for companies such as GPRS.
How GPRS Can Help
As concerns about the aging infrastructure in the United States continue to grow, there has been a corresponding increase in construction spending in this sector. Last year alone, the estimated spend on infrastructure construction surpassed $1.2 trillion. Our nation's roads, bridges, transit, and water systems were given a D rating by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 2021 Report Card, highlighting some of the deteriorating conditions they are facing such as at the Northeast Corridor Transit Projects. With the aim of the entire U.S. is to rebuild this crumbling infrastructure, GPRS is in a unique position to provide assistance in various capacities throughout the process in the Northeast Corridor.
For over 20 years, our Mid-Atlantic and Northeast teams at GPRS have amassed extensive experience in scanning dowels on highway projects, mapping rebar and concrete cover on bridges, and locating utilities around mass transit systems as shown in the images below.
As the government prioritizes the upgrade of U.S. infrastructure, GPRS is fully prepared to leverage our expertise and contribute to the rebuilding efforts.
In the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions spanning from Washinton D.C. all the way to past Boston Massachusetts, GPRS possesses the capability to provide essential data for the infrastructure rebuilding and visualization process.
Whether working with railroad, light-rail, or other mass transit assets, we can offer critical information on the location of underground utilities, millimeter-accurate point clouds and BIM modeling for engineers for concrete analysis and our concrete scanning services provide answers to vital questions about concrete thickness, concrete cover, rebar placement, layout, and dowel placement. Furthermore, our NASSCO and SIM certified video pipe inspection Project Managers utilize CCTV sewer inspection and push cameras to map the location and evaluate the condition of water and sewer pipes, lateral lines, and identify areas requiring repairs due to damages such as cross bores. By employing ground penetrating radar services, we generate accurate information that can facilitate effective planning.
GPRS equips you with the necessary jobsite information you need through our utility & infrastructure mappin platform, SiteMap® (patent pending). SiteMap’s software provides your site’s accurate utility maps, 3D BIM models, sewer inspection reports, and 3D photogrammetry all in one easy to access and secure platform.
Want to learn more about SiteMap® and its ability to redefine collaboration on your jobsite?
FAQs
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