$2.3B Virginia Bridge Set to Impact Rail Traffic 'from Boston to Miami'

The $2.3 billion Long Bridge project officially broke ground on Tuesday, with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and other officials present to mark the occasion, according to a release from the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA). This new bridge aims to alleviate one of the largest rail traffic bottlenecks on the East Coast.

The upcoming two-track railroad bridge will span the Potomac River, situated alongside the existing Long Bridge that connects Arlington, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The current bridge, owned by Jacksonville, Florida-based CSX, has been in operation for 119 years, carrying both passenger and freight trains on its two tracks.

Currently, delays are common for passenger trains, as freight trains take precedence on the shared tracks, as reported by ABC7. With the new bridge, only Amtrak and commuter trains like Virginia Railway Express will use the new span, allowing freight trains to continue utilizing the original bridge, which will help minimize delays for both services.

“In Virginia, our crippling traffic has truly become a bipartisan issue, and the Long Bridge groundbreaking represents our bipartisan solution,” stated DJ Stadtler, executive director of the VPRA, in the release. “But it’s not just Virginians who will benefit. Travelers from Boston to Miami will feel the effects of this project.”

Additionally, the project is designed to expand rail service capacity to meet future demand. It is a significant component of the commonwealth's Transforming Rail in Virginia initiative and marks a key milestone in the second phase of Virginia Railway Express expansion.

In addition to the primary bridge, the project will also feature four smaller rail bridges and two new pedestrian and cycling bridges, as detailed on the project website.

The construction will be carried out in two main packages: the Long Bridge-North segment has been awarded to a joint venture between Swedish builder Skanska and Broomfield, Colorado-based Flatiron, while the Franconia-Springfield Bypass will be constructed by a team from Flatiron and Herzog, based in St. Joseph, Missouri. VPRA is in the process of interviewing potential contractors for the Long Bridge South package.

Initial construction activities, including site preparation, are set to commence in the coming weeks, with large-scale construction slated to begin in 2025. The project is expected to be completed by 2030.