The federal government will invest nearly $466 million in improvements at Washington Union Station, with the funding aimed at structural repairs, passenger upgrades and security improvements, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced Thursday.
The U.S. Department of Transportation plans to invest the funds in building repairs; upgrades to ticketing, the Amtrak lounge and the concourse; new stores, signage and parking to raise revenues; and “family-friendly infrastructure,” the department said in a release.
The grants were made through the Northeast Railroad Partnership Program, which began with a 2015 surface-rail improvement bill in Congress.
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Duffy called the investment a major step toward restoring and expanding Union Station’s passenger areas, saying the work will help create a transit hub for residents, commuters and visitors while preserving the station’s historic character.
The plan differs from a $10 billion Biden-era proposal for expanding the train station, including a new atrium-like hall with very high ceilings. The plan focused on gradual expansion rather than immediate repairs, the department said, calling it a “boondoggle.”
Projects included in the $465.8 million investment include replacing the station’s 108-year-old roof, repairing the parking garage and station interior, and construction in the passenger concourse.
Amtrak President Roger Harris said the funding marks a significant step in the station’s revitalization and will help lay the groundwork for a more modern facility.
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