Amtrak and partners have broken ground on the new Connecticut River Bridge between Old Saybrook and Old Lyme, Conn.
The existing Connecticut River Bridge, which opens for maritime traffic several times a day in peak boating season, was completed in 1907 and today serves more than 50 daily Amtrak Northeast Regional and Acela trains, CTrail Shore Line East commuter service trains and freight trains. Amtrak says the aging bridge’s failure to open and close consistently can result in cascading delays to rail and maritime traffic.
The modern, more resilient, moveable bridge now being constructed by Amtrak will feature a trunnion bascule span design with modern track, signal, catenary, power, communication and other supporting rail infrastructure. It will support a maximum train operating speed of 70 mph, a 55 percent increase from today’s maximum speed of 45 mph. Maritime navigation and safety will also improve due to the increased vertical clearance of the new bridge compared to the existing bridge.
Amtrak notes the investment will ensure continued connectivity along the Northeast Corridor – America’s busiest passenger rail corridor – while enabling plans to expand intercity passenger rail service in the region and across the U.S.
Earlier this summer, Amtrak awarded a construction contract for the new bridge and held a pre-construction public meeting to educate community members about the upcoming work. Rail traffic will remain in service throughout the project, which is expected to conclude by 2031.
The $1.3 billion project is supported by a $826.6 million Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail grant from the Federal Railroad Administration, made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The remaining portion will be funded by Amtrak and the state of Connecticut.
“Amtrak is thrilled to join our partners to break ground on the new Connecticut River Bridge, a project decades in the making,” said Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner. “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. Today’s milestone would not be possible without funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and continued support from the Biden-Harris Administration, along with Connecticut’s champions of rail in Gov. [Ned] Lamont, Sen. [Richard] Blumenthal (D-CT), Sen. [Chris] Murphy (D-CT-5), U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT-2), [Connecticut Department of Transportation] Commissioner [Garrett] Eucalitto and so many others.”
“Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration—and the largest investment in passenger rail since Amtrak was founded—we’re replacing the century-old Connecticut River Bridge with a safer, more reliable structure,” said U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg. “This bridge is a critical point for freight and passenger rail and maritime traffic along the northeast and the new bridge will deliver the faster, more reliable service Americans deserve.”
“The Northeast Corridor is the busiest rail line in the nation, and improvements here mean more jobs, continued economic growth and improved quality of life,” said Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont. “The Connecticut River Bridge is more than 100 years old, and this major modernization project will ensure that trains can operate with higher speeds and fewer disruptions well into the future. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law continues delivering for Connecticut and the entire region.”
