Amtrak and Partners Break Ground on New Connecticut River Bridge

Amtrak has begun construction on a new Connecticut River Bridge between Old Saybrook and Old Lyme, CT. USDOT Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT, Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT), Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto, and other state and local officials attended the project’s recent groundbreaking. 

The existing Connecticut River Bridge was completed in 1907 and today serves more than 50 daily Amtrak Northeast Regional and Acela trains, CTrail Shore Line East commuter service trains, and freight trains. The aging bridge’s failure to open and close consistently can result in cascading delays to rail and maritime traffic. 

The modern, more resilient, moveable bridge now being constructed by Amtrak will feature a trunnion bascule span design with modern track, signal, catenary, power, communication, and other supporting rail infrastructure. It will support a maximum train operating speed of 70 mph, a 55 percent increase from today’s maximum speed of 45 mph. Maritime navigation and safety will also improve due to the increased vertical clearance of the new bridge compared to the existing bridge. 

“Amtrak is thrilled to join our partners to break ground on the new Connecticut River Bridge, a project decades in the making,” said Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner. “When completed, this modern bridge will improve the customer experience by eliminating delays, providing faster journeys, and modernizing another critical infrastructure asset in Connecticut that benefits the entire Northeast Corridor.” 

The $1.3 billion project is supported by a $826.64 million Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail grant from FRA, made possible by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The remaining portion will be funded by Amtrak and the State of Connecticut. 

This investment will ensure continued connectivity along the Northeast Corridor (NEC)—the busiest passenger rail corridor in the U.S.—while enabling plans to expand intercity passenger rail service in the region and across the nation. 

“Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration—and the largest investment in passenger rail since Amtrak was founded—we’re replacing the century-old Connecticut River Bridge with a safer, more reliable structure,” said Trottenberg. “This bridge is a critical point for freight and passenger rail and maritime traffic along the Northeast, and the new bridge will deliver the faster, more reliable service Americans deserve.”