Last week, we were focusing on the past, calling attention to some major projects from this year we hoped you didn’t miss. These projects included rebuilding Rockford, IL, Amtrak breaking records, and funding to save the Colorado River Basin and ensure clean and safe water to the Western United States. This week, let’s look to the future! Here are three of the biggest infrastructure projects to look forward to, starting next year.
In New Jersey, daily commuters have been relying on a singular tunnel under the Hudson River to travel in and out of New York that is more than out-dated. Describing the current tunnel as “antiquated,” a spokesperson for the Gateway Development Commission says that it, “is not equipped to serve our modern economy — especially not for a region that contributes to 20% of the national GDP.” Next year, the Hudson Tunnel Project will begin: a $16 billion dollar project that has already received $12 billion in federal funding. A new two-track rail tunnel will be constructed underneath the Hudson River, while the existing 113-year-old tunnel is rehabilitated from the severe damage it received during 2012’s Superstorm Sandy. This will eventually create 4 tracks between New York and New Jersey, and two separate tunnels, allowing for maintenance to be done on one without wholly closing corridor. This also prevents any disruptions for the hundreds of thousands of commuters that travel along the Northeast Corridor—one of the U.S.’s busiest rails. This project will “create 95,000 new jobs and generate nearly $20 billion in economic activity over its construction period.” Construction is scheduled for completion by 2035.
Another huge project considered one of the biggest of 2025 has actually already started! This is the completion of the Brightline West Rail, giving the country it’s first “true” high-speed rail, connecting Rancho Cucamonga in the Greater Los Angeles area to Las Vegas, Nevada via a 218-mile route. Brightline is privately-operated by Brightline West but the project is being completed in partnership with the Nevada Department of Transportation. They’ve received $3 billion from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and raised $3.5 billion via private activity bonds from the US DOT. These funds will be used to complete the final design and begin construction of the 218 miles of tracks, four stations with facilities, signal systems, roadway modifications, and more. Brightline’s West Rail will significantly cut down travel times, offering speeds up to 200 miles per hour, covering the distance in about two hours! The total project is estimated to be $12 billion and scheduled to be completed in 2028, to align the opening with the Los Angeles Olympics.
Our third project to keep an eye out for is the Penn Station upgrade! This project is part of the Gateway Program, the same program working on the Hudson Tunnel Project. However, without upgrades done to Penn Station, the extra tunnel would only create more congestion and wouldn’t be able to be utilized to its full capacity. Another problem facing the Northeast Corridor is how Penn Station is currently operating at 3 times its design capacity, with over a million people commuting between the suburbs to New York City, making up 20% of the city’s job force. The Metropolitan Transit Authority is receiving over $1 billion from US DOT, but over $3 billion will be used to rehabilitate 19 miles Amtrak’s Hell Gate Line, which connects Penn Station to New Rochelle, NY, to rehabilitate 4 bridges, upgrade signal systems, construct five new power substations, and more. Ridership is expected to surpass its pre-pandemic peak by the time the Hudson River Tunnel is completed. To meet this future demand, Amtrak and NJ Transit are planning to increase Hudson capacity to 48 trains per hour in the peak directions; plans are included to consider how Penn Station will need to be upgraded to meet this demand. The portion of the project involving the Hell Gate Line is scheduled for completion by 2027.
Next year is kicking off huge projects that will improve transit efficiency for millions of travelers over the next decade. From the East Coast to the West, billions of federal funds will improve the safety of train tunnels, increase capacity, and change the future of travel with our first high-speed rail! Whether you’re racing along to Las Vegas from California or commuting between New York and New Jersey, remember that Interstate Signways made the signs that lined the roads!
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