HAVRE DE GRACE, Md. — An Amtrak contractor has completed the removal of 10 bridge piers dating to 1866 from the Susquehanna River, a required move in advance of construction of new bridges connecting Havre de Grace and Perryville, Md.
Contractor Fay Construction began the process earlier this year and completed it in November, Amtrak announced in a press release. The company also salvaged some stones from the piers at the request of the two communities; they include a block engraved with the date 1877 to commemorate improvements to the bridge, which had its superstructure removed decades ago. Removal of the piers, a boating hazard, was identified in the environmental review process as a necessary step in advance of building a pair of two-track bridges that will replace the current two-track bridge.
The current Susquehanna River Bridge dates to 1906 and handles about 110 Amtrak, MARC commuter rail, and freight trains daily. It is the longest movable bridge on the Northeast Corridor. The new bridges will allow for expanded rail service and raise speeds across the bridge from 90 to 160 mph. The final design process is under way, and major construction is expected to begin in mid- to late 2025. Completion is estimated for 2036.
More details on the bridge project are available here.
Eleven years to build?? I know it’s a complicated process but that seems unbelievably long. I’d like to live to see it finished.
The $22 million in design and environmental funds was authorized in 2011. So when done, the entire process will almost be a quarter century vs. one year a century ago.
https://railroads.dot.gov/elibrary/us-transportation-secretary-lahood-announces-2-billion-high-speed-intercity-rail-projects
2036?!? And does anyone believe that target completion date will be met?
Why not just build a single 2 track bridge for Amtrak’s high speed services and leave the old 2 track bridge in place to handle the remaining 24 daily trains: 14 MARC trains and 10 NS freight trains? I’m guessing that would facilitate higher speed service across the river much sooner than 12 years from now.
It took PRR less than a year to build the 1906 bridge including the apparently rarely used swing span (apparently < 10 times per year!) that features 52' vertical clearance when closed v. 60' vertical clearance of the proposed fixed bridge.
The old piers are fairly close to the present bridge. probably one of the new bridge’s piers will come along that alignment. Would expect that since new bridge’s max speed is going to be`160 MPH that alignment will probably fall between old piers and old bridge to meet alignment approaches on each side. Also ,the approaches will need to be raised to meet the new fixed clearance above high tide.
Then since the old bridge is a swing bridge any opening will probably mean construction of new bridge there may require construction activities to cease for an unknown time to clear around the swing of the old bridge. Then the removal of the old bridge piers and swing pier may have to wait for the timeline that is in the EIS similar to removal of the 1877 piers.
All this takes time
Going to take twice as long to build 1 bridge as it took UP-CP to build 2,000 miles of transcontinental railroad. And that’s after doing the Environmental Impact statement requirements and getting the proper permits. No wonder NOTHING can get done in this country.
There may be a reason for the long construction period. Since the bridges are going to be 160 MPH the alignment to the tracks may call for one bridge to be completed, then removal of old bridge, then building of other bridge partly on the alignment of the old bridge? Somewhere after removal of old bridge its piers will need removal as well to mitigate water navigation safety. Also timing of the removal of the piers will depend on time of year similar to the EIS for old pier removal.
Then there will also be the problem of the old bridge is a swing bridge. Every time it has to swing open may require the construction stop near the old bridge. That may be similar to what happens at the North Portal bridge and Walk bridge construction sites.
https://bridgestunnels.com/location/susquehanna-river-rail-bridge/
I’m surprised that the “historic preservation” types didn’t sue to ban the removal of the piers…
As I recall, a group did sue, or at least protest, the removal of the piers on historic grounds. AmeriStarRail backed them. Evidently, they lost.
Not the “historic preservation” types” as you speak, I would think the local fishing community would have balked at having them removed.
Twelve years seems like an inordinately long time to build a pair of simple bridges. I guess a good chunk of time is needed to just get the permits.
The article said “major construction is expected to begin in mid to late 2025”. To me that sounds like the workers will be on site then. That’s probably too optimistic but that’s what was said.
Once construction starts, one would think it doesn’t take 10 years or so to build them. But government projects that fall under “Prevailing Wage” requirements tend to take longer then those that don’t.
I suspect the main reason it will take so long to build the bridges is that they have to build one bridge first, then remove the existing bridge, and finally build the second new one in order to keep the existing alignment and raise the maximum speed.