White House announces $16.4 billion for Northeast Corridor rail improvements
In its latest push for rail improvements, the Biden administration has announced billions of dollars in federal funding for more than two dozen projects along Amtrak’s busy Northeast Corridor.
Paid for through the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the White House on Monday announced $16.4 billion in grants to replace tunnels, tracks, bridges and other rail infrastructure along the critical corridor — the nation’s busiest for passenger rail — stretching from Washington, D.C., to Boston.
The announcement includes an additional $3.8 billion in grant money to support and speed up the replacement of the 113-year-old Hudson River tunnel, a vital Amtrak and commuter rail artery in and out of New York’s Penn Station.
The White House on Monday also announced $4.7 billion for the design and construction of the Baltimore & Potomac Tunnel replacement, which will be known as the Frederick Douglass Tunnel.
That proposed project will see the replacement of a 150-year-old tunnel that regularly contributes to delays along the Northeast Corridor.
Once complete, trains will no longer have to slow down to 30 mph in Baltimore — the slowest section of track between the Washington area and New York, used by Amtrak and Maryland commuter rail trains, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
“This outdated infrastructure leads to over 4,000 hours of delays each year on Amtrak,” President Joe Biden said Monday during remarks in Delaware announcing the grants.
Eventually, trains will be able to run as fast as 110 mph through the corridor.
In all, Monday’s announcements include funding for 25 passenger rail projects along the Northeast Corridor, supporting the replacement or rehabilitation of at least a dozen major bridges or tunnels, many of which are over a century in age.
More than $2 billion will go to replace Maryland's Susquehanna River Rail Bridge, adding track capacity and allowing trains to increase speed from 90 mph to as much as 125 mph and 160 mph in certain spans.
This funding for rail, dispersed through various grants from the Federal Railroad Administration, is just the latest push by the Biden administration to overhaul the nation’s rail system.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law contained a total of $66 billion for rail. Just last month, the White House announced 70 other projects funded through the law.
Also, in a wide-ranging interview last week with TPG’s Clint Henderson, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg spoke to the importance of work like the Hudson River tunnel project in improving the flow of trains in and out of New York and, ultimately, along the Northeast Corridor. It's just part of a huge investment by the White House in trains.
"Taking care of the basics, improving the reliability of our rail network by investing in maintenance," Buttigieg said. "It should've been done a long time ago."
These additional improvements up and down the rest of the corridor should help Amtrak in a variety of ways, too. For one, Amtrak officials have said the rail company's oft-delayed new Acela trains will require infrastructure improvements to reach the intended top speeds of 160 mph.
Federal money for New York subway extension announced
In recent days, the White House also announced funding to support an extension of New York’s subway system into Harlem.
The Federal Transit Administration has authorized $3.4 billion in grant money to fund phase two of the Second Avenue Subway extension.
The project will see the Q Line extended by 1.8 miles along the east side of Manhattan to 125th Street and relieve overcrowding on the aging Lexington Avenue Line.
As part of the extension, subway trains will make stops at three new stations at 106th Street, 116th Street and 125th Street in East Harlem, according to New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
A previous phase of the extension reached 96th Street.
"This project has been decades in the making, and will extend the existing line to East Harlem, an area often considered a transit desert," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement.
Bottom line
This most recent package of grant funding announced by the White House is just the latest show of support for rail as the federal government doles out tens of billions of dollars authorized in the 2021 infrastructure law.
Combined with private rail projects like the recently opened Brightline extension to Orlando International Airport (MCO), it’s safe to say it’s a time of rapid change for our nation’s rail system.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.