4th track will start to untangle congested passenger rail service between Va. and DC – WTOP News

The key purpose of Virginia’s partnership with Amtrak, CSX and Virginia Railway Categorical is to scale back frequent bottlenecks of passenger and freight trains touring between Virginia, D.C. and up and down the East Coast.

Essentially the most formidable a part of the Lengthy Bridge undertaking will probably be to assemble a brand new, two-track railroad bridge over the Potomac River, subsequent to the prevailing two-track, 117-year-old Lengthy Bridge, which is owned by CSX.

The addition of the brand new bridge will double the capability of trains that may cross the river — two tracks will probably be devoted to passenger rail and two will probably be for freight rail use.

Whereas the Lengthy Bridge undertaking is among the Part 2 features of the $3.7 billion Reworking Rail in Virginia program, one native undertaking is predicted to start development by spring 2024.

At present, the Alexandria VRE and Amtrak station on King Road has a complete of three tracks, which serve each passenger and freight visitors.

Closing design is underway to assemble 6 miles of a fourth railroad observe between Alexandria and Arlington. Finally, the 4 tracks will probably be built-in with the Lengthy Department development, to create a possibility to separate freight and passenger rail service.

Karina Romero, communications supervisor for the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority, mentioned the design ought to be full by the top of the yr, and that VPRA will start group outreach within the subsequent a number of months.

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