Amtrak Selects Frederick Douglass Tunnel Delivery Partner
Written by Kevin Smith, Editor-in-Chief, International Railway Journal
Amtrak Illustration
Amtrak has selected ADVANCE, a joint venture of AECOM and Jacobs, as Delivery Partner for the $6 billion Frederick Douglass Tunnel Program on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in Baltimore.
Amtrak says this is the first time it has deployed a Delivery Partner model for one of its major infrastructure projects. Under the model, the private partners will share the risk with Amtrak to deliver the project. They are also offered incentives to achieve the project’s overall outcomes. Advance will establish an integrated program management team alongside Amtrak’s in-house capital delivery department to progress the project through to completion. The delivery partner’s work will include design, oversight, construction management, contract management and other administrative support.
The ADVANCE joint venture also includes SENER, Turner & Townsend, RailPros, Aldea Services and Dr. Sauer & Partners, as well as 22 additional disadvantaged and small business enterprises (DBE/SBE) that will help meet the delivery partner’s 14% DBE/SBE goal.
The Fredrick Douglass Tunnel Program is one of Amtrak’s largest infrastructure projects. It consists of a new 2-mile twin-bore tunnel, as well as a comprehensive upgrade of a 10.2-mile section of the NEC south of Baltimore.
The new tunnel will replace the aging Baltimore & Potomac (B&P) Tunnel, which is a major bottleneck on the NEC, with its tight curves limiting the speed of the 90-100 Amtrak and Marc commuter trains that use it every weekday to 30 mph. The Frederick Douglass Tunnel will enable speeds of up to 100 mph and is part of a realignment of a 4-mile section of the NEC.
A joint venture of Kiewit and J.F. Shea was awarded a contract to construct the new tunnel in February. Preparatory work on the project began in 2023 and utility relocations and work on the first of five bridges will start later this year. Construction of the tunnel is expected to commence in 2026. Last fall, Amtrak awarded demolition contracts and a CMAR contract for the Program’s “Southern Approach,” which includes a new ADA-accessible West Baltimore MARC Station, replacing multiple bridges, and constructing tracks and other railroad infrastructure.
“We’re proud to award this important Delivery Partner contract that will help continue the positive momentum for the Frederick Douglass Tunnel Program,” said Amtrak Executive Vice President Capital Delivery Laura Mason. “Amtrak has built an industry-leading capital delivery department and continues to leverage innovative project delivery approaches like this, as we work to replace and modernise our critical infrastructure assets.”
“We’re excited to welcome the ADVANCE team onboard and appreciate the vast experience they’ll bring to our integrated project management team,” said Amtrak Assistant Vice President Luigi Rosa, who is leading the Program. “We look forward to introducing some of these new team members at a future community meeting.”
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