BALTIMORE — President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit Baltimore this afternoon to announce funding and labor agreements for the project to replace the Baltimore & Potomac Tunnel, the 150-year-old route into Baltimore Penn Station that is a major bottleneck on the Northeast Corridor.
Biden is scheduled to speak about 2:45 p.m. EST, WMAR-TV reports.
Amtrak launched the contract process for the tunnel project last June [see “Amtrak begins process to award contracts …,” Trains News Wire, June 22, 2022]. The company and state of Maryland had announced a year earlier a plan to name the replacement tunnel — actually a series of four single-track bores— for Maryland-born abolitionist leader Fredrick Douglass [see “Amtrak, Maryland announce new approach ….,” News Wire, June 21, 2022].
The tunnel project is expected to cost approximately $6 billion; the White House says the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law could contribute up to $4.7 billion of that total. Early work on the tunnel will begin this year, the White House says, with the project generating more than 20,000 jobs.
Classic example of federal tax dollars being used for “The greatest good for the greatest number”.
20,000 jobs to build a tunnel. No wonder it is a 6B dollar project.
This is a project that’s needed to be done for 75 years.
As usual, ya’ll just complain and complain and complain.
Be careful, that kid is on your LAWN.
And also as usual, y’all spend your lives being offended, and offended, and offended. And yes, get off my lawn. What happened in 1948 to make this project needing to be done?
George,
POTUS actually has little to say about his mode of transportation.
But as a member of congress, Mr. Biden spent many an hour commuting by train– and I’ll bet he’d prefer that still.
Will President “Amtrak Joe” be taking Amtrak to get to this photo-op? And will they find more “Classified Documents” that Joe left behind in the Amtrak car?
And to the various comments above, the president has in fact inserted himself into the rail “narrative” and is thus “fair game” for criticism.
Any bets on how POTUS travels to Baltimore?
Mark, Terry: politicians are fair game if they insert themselves into the rail narrative. Otherwise, we have no say in Amtrak’s operations and funding. Lastly, since 78% of the funds comes from taxes on all of us, it is right to ask questions of our leaders. Civil discourse is not mere politeness and is not purely perfomative.
Agree. The President sign the bill authorizing future funding into law.
Charles, the issue is a new tunnel, please try to keep politics out of the conversation, Please. Civil discourse, Please.
Agree.
At age 78, the first useful thing he’s done in his entire life.
Mr Landey: You mean besides toss a scoundrel out of office?
He is 80 isn’t he?,