A program of rail infrastructure projects now underway in Virginia’s congested rail corridor outside Washington, D.C. aims to accommodate planned expansions in passenger service while also improving freight traffic efficiency.
Led by the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA), the program includes the Alexandria Fourth Track Project, a two-year, $238.4-million effort to separate passenger and freight traffic in a corridor where five tracks currently converge into three. General contractor Fay, S&B USA Construction of Pittsburgh, Pa., will construct six miles of new rail and infrastructure dedicated to passenger trains, with tie-in capabilities for use by freight trains during maintenance and construction activities.
The north end of the new track will connect with VPRA’s $2.3-billion Long Bridge Project, which is adding a two-track rail bridge crossing the Potomac River between Arlington and Washington. That project is currently scheduled for completion in 2030.
Under a separate contract, awarded by the Virginia Rail Express (VRE) passenger railroad, Kokosing Construction Co. will construct $231.4 million of improvements to Alexandria Station. Focused on improving safety at the important stop for both VRE and Amtrak trains, the project entails construction of a tunnel, stairs, and elevators to replace the existing at-grade track crossing between the station’s two platforms. The platforms will also be lengthened and improved, with border edges raised to 8 in above the top of the rail. Currently, the unusually low platforms require passengers to use box steps to board and alight from trains.
Kokosing will also replace two aging open-deck rail bridges adjacent to the station with ballasted-deck superstructures and new abutments, improving safety for both train operations as well and motorists, pedestrians and cyclists traveling underneath. To complement the new bridges, the City of Alexandria is currently designing streetscape improvements that will improve the gateway to the city.
Scheduled for completion in 2030, the Alexandria-area rail improvements will allow Virginia to increase the number of state-supported Amtrak daily roundtrips to 13, up from the current eight. VRE plans to expand service on its Fredericksburg and Manassas lines as well, including the addition of weekend trains. Funding for the rail projects is being provided by the Commonwealth of Virginia, Amtrak, VRE, and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).
