New Frederick Douglass Tunnel project set to upgrade West Baltimore station
BALTIMORE - The new Frederick Douglass Tunnel aims to speed up MARC and Amtrak train rides.
But the project is controversial as some residents say the new tunnel will destroy their neighborhoods.
This new tunnel will be 1.4 miles long starting from the Warwick Avenue Bridge to Penn Station. Part of the tunnel will move further north by intersecting at North Avenue.
Amtrak held a meeting Monday night about the project and said construction near Edmonson has not started yet.
But neighbors in the area can expect to receive notices in the next one to two weeks about construction starting soon.
In May, the Reservoir Hill Association filed a civil rights complaint demanding to stop the tunnel project completely.
They worry that noise pollution, solid waste and rodent problems will impact their neighborhoods of predominantly Black and low-income communities.
Amtrak argues that the current Northeast Corridor is nearly 150 years old and is in desperate need of renovations.
Amtrak officials say they have secured $6 million to modernize the corridor and allow better train services to Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, DC.
The goal is to even offer a ride from West Baltimore to Washington DC in just 35 minutes, if there are no stops.
On Monday night, Amtrak officials said there will be a lane restriction in the future on North Avenue to give crews access to Eutaw Street when construction begins.
Traffic is expected to still flow on Eutaw Street but drivers can expect to face some restrictions with on street parking.
There will be an in-person meeting at 6pm Wednesday night at the Mary Ann Winterling Elementary School if anyone wants to ask Amtrak further questions about the project.