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He was known as “Amtrak Joe,” and now that he’s leaving the White House, President Joe Biden is pumping over a billion dollars back into the rails of the Northeast Corridor, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced Friday.
The $1.5 billion will help fund 19 different projects in the near and long term between D.C. and Connecticut — much of it for technical infrastructure.
Union Station in D.C. alone will be receiving more than $82 million in funding. Most of that money will be going toward what are described as “safety and operational improvements,” including improving the passenger experience and reducing boarding times.
“These grants represent a transformative investment in the future of Washington Union Station and our city’s transportation infrastructure,” D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a statement. “By modernizing this vital hub, we’re not only improving the travel experience for millions of passengers but also strengthening our local economy and creating new opportunities for District residents.”
Up to $24 million will also be set aside for the long-term rehabilitation project at Union Station — a drop in the bucket since it currently has a $10 billion overall estimate attached to it.
Another nearly $59 million will go toward replacing an Amtrak police facility and building a new digital technology communications room in order to address “safety and operational needs at the station.”
D.C. Council member and Council of Governments Chair Charles Allen called the news “fantastic” and said it’s a longstanding, regional priority.
“Union Station’s expansion is a once-in-century investment,” Allen said in a statement. “It is as important to our region as our airports.”
Doug Carr, CEO and president of the Union Station Redevelopment Corporation that’s in charge of the massive overhaul of the once bustling place for transportation, shopping and dining, said the funding will help “transform Union Station into the world-class transportation hub the District and the region deserve.”
The federal funding, which comes from the infrastructure package Biden signed in 2021, also includes more than $120 million for final design and construction inside Baltimore’s Penn Station, which is also slated for an overhaul.
More than $110 million will help Amtrak fix wiring and signals on the tracks that run through Maryland from Union Station to Baltimore.
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WTOP’s Ciara Wells contributed to this report.
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