Yes. Amtrak regularly performs federally mandated inspections and maintenance in the existing tunnel to ensure that it continues to be safe and operational for train service. Amtrak is advancing the design and construction of the new Frederick Douglass Tunnel to create a new, higher-capacity tunnel for the 14 million MARC and Amtrak passengers that rely on it.
Yes, the existing tunnel will continue to be used by diesel freight trains for the foreseeable future. At the current time, diesel freight trains use the B&P Tunnel for two round trips per week and do not transport hazardous materials.
The Program includes two new high-capacity tunnel tubes for electrified passenger trains, new roadway and railroad bridges, new track, operational systems, and railroad infrastructure, and a new ADA-accessible West Baltimore MARC Station.
Amtrak has determined that two tunnel tubes will be sufficient to add more passenger trains, utilize the available funding and shorten the construction duration. No date for the construction of additional tunnel tubes has been identified. If service needs increase and funding is available in the future, two additional tunnel tubes could eventually be designed and constructed.
Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) has committed to electrifying its Penn Line trains to support this program. The two new tunnel tubes being constructed for the Program will only serve electrified passenger trains for the MTA’s MARC Penn Line and Amtrak under normal operations.
The Tunnel Ventilation Systems, designed in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)-130 standards, are building facilities that provide protection for train passengers in the event of an emergency. They provide stairs for emergency evacuation to the surface, as well as emergency fans that could extract smoke from the tunnel in the unlikely event of a fire.
The new Frederick Douglass Tunnel under normal train operations will only serve electric passenger MARC Penn Line and Amtrak trains. MTA has committed to electrifying its Penn Line trains to support this program. The fans will be tested periodically to ensure that they remain operational but will not run under normal operations. The ventilation facilities will not pose health or safety risks that would negatively impact people in the community. Emissions associated with the ventilation facility will not cause, or substantially contribute to, a violation of National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), standards established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to protect human health and welfare, including children.
The higher operational performance with two new tunnel tubes will provide for significantly increased passenger train throughput capacity, well above the existing capacity of the B&P Tunnel. In addition to the increase in capacity, the new tunnel tubes will provide enhancements like faster train speeds and a more comfortable ride. The new tunnel and upgraded tracks will allow both MARC and Amtrak to add more passenger trains, adding more travel options for Marylanders and Amtrak riders across the Northeast Corridor.
Public participation and input are a priority throughout the Program. In addition to public and community meetings, the public will be able to review information on the program website at bptunnel.com. In addition, there is a dedicated email address, bptunnel@amtrak.com, and phone number, (443) 423-1115, for the public to contact members of the program team. The public is also encouraged to follow the B&P Tunnel Replacement Program on Facebook (“B&P Tunnel Replacement”) and Instagram (@BPTunnel). If you are interested in joining our project mailing list, you can sign up at this link or use the form at the bottom of the webpage.
Amtrak has committed to dozens of mitigations that will reduce and address construction impacts throughout the life of the Program. This includes the CIP, which dedicates $50 million for investments in areas such as workforce and community development, as well as historic preservation. The CIP has been developed from Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) guidelines. Further information, including CIP -specific FAQs, can be found here.
Funding will come from: Amtrak, FRA , and the State of Maryland. To learn more about our funding partners, check out our ‘Meet the Team’ page.
The Program will be constructed in several stages. The first set of early construction activities began in March 2023 with track work in the Halethorpe and West Baltimore areas. This initial project was completed in summer 2023 . As of 2025, major construction on the utility siphon tunnel – a facility used to relocate utilities safely out of the way underneath the new tracks – at the Southern Approach has commenced as well as the closure of a segment of W Mulberry Street for the reconstruction of a railroad bridge. Tunnel boring is planned to start in 2027.
The overall Program is currently expected to conclude in 2036.
Private property acquisitions have been identified for over 600 parcels. The majority of these (over 500) are underground (subsurface), where Amtrak is providing compensation and obtaining rights to tunnel underneath a parcel. To learn more, see the ‘Subsurface Acquisition Brochure.’
A property acquisition professional will directly contact each impacted property owner. If a property owner has questions about a potential acquisition, they may send an email to FDT.realestate@amtrak.com.
No, construction is not expected to impact private property. Amtrak is taking precautions to avoid damaging homes and businesses, such as setting vibration limits and performing active monitoring. Amtrak will use state of-the-art techniques (e.g., controlled blasting, testing, and real-time monitoring) and vibration limits to ensure protection of nearby properties.
Amtrak is committed to doing the right thing, and this includes closely monitoring data and feedback during construction to help ensure that construction does not unexpectedly cause excessive vibration or damage to properties. Prior to tunneling, Amtrak will offer property owners adjacent to the new tunnel an opportunity to have their property inspected to document the physical condition. If there is future concern that the tunnel construction damaged a property, Amtrak and the property owner will be able to examine the inspection (report and pictures) to help assess whether construction activities unexpectedly caused damage to a property. Amtrak intends to ensure that compensation is provided for any property damaged by the tunnel construction.
Property owners will receive notification via FedEx or UPS if their property qualifies for an inspection.
Amtrak is committed to compliance with the Record of Decision’s (ROD) 43 mitigations to protect the community and minimize the impacts from construction. Some of these mitigations include limiting noise, dust, light, and other construction impacts. You can read more about these mitigations beginning on page 48 of the ROD. Additionally, Amtrak’s construction contractors are required to monitor many aspects of their activities, including noise and vibrations, and take the proper actions should they exceed the allowable limits.
In addition to construction mitigation, Amtrak has committed $50 million to mitigate the adverse impacts of the program. The CIP has been developed from the FRA’s guidelines and further information, including CIP-specific FAQs, can be found here.
The Program will provide many benefits to Baltimore residents by creating thousands of construction jobs and other rail and construction related workforce development opportunities. Amtrak is advancing a partnership with the Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Employment Development (MOED) and the Baltimore Workforce Funders Collaborative (part of the Maryland Philanthropy Network (MPN)) to maximize workforce recruitment and training from the impacted communities and to provide support services to assist individuals with personal needs in order to work.
Amtrak and the Baltimore-DC Building Trades Council have amended their project labor agreement, committing construction contractors to a local hiring preference on the Program. At least 50% of all apprentice hours and at least 20% of all journey hours for the Program will go to workers from the City of Baltimore. The Baltimore-DC Building Trades will recruit from specific ZIP codes, including those around the Program area and from impacted communities in the City of Baltimore, for jobs on the Program. This is Amtrak’s first project to implement local and economic hiring preferences, which are newly allowed under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This is to ensure that the local communities reap the benefits of these important federal investments.
For career opportunities at Amtrak, visit careers.amtrak.com. To learn more about opportunities on the B&P Tunnel Replacement Program, see the Contact page on the Program website with information on our construction contractors. More information about the Workforce Hub will be shared once the Workforce Hub initiative has started.
Please visit the Reports & Documents page to view fact sheets, technical documents and past responses to community questions:
You can also email the Program team at bptunnel@amtrak.com.
For additional information, email bptunnel@amtrak.com or call (443) 423-1115 to speak to a member of the program team.
