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District Department of Transportation

Mayor Bowser Visiting NYC Amtrak Site to Envision Union Station Transformation, Highlight Transportation and Infrastructure Investments

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

(Washington DC) – Today, Mayor Bowser will be touring Amtrak’s new $1.6 billion project, Moynihan Train Hall in New York City, with Amtrak President Stephen Gardner and DC stakeholders. While there, the Mayor will highlight how her Administration’s investments in transportation and infrastructure initiatives will benefit not only the residents of Washington DC, but the entire East Coast corridor and the many visitors who travel to and through Union Station.

“As Mayor Bowser continues to prioritize infrastructure investments in DC, this visit is an important opportunity to see one of the best examples of 21st Century infrastructure and a world-class transit hub,” said Acting District Department of Transportation Director Everett Lott.

“Our Union Station is not only a critical train station, but also a multimodal transit hub, a key engine of tourism, a retail destination, and a historic treasure,” said District of Columbia Office of Planning Director Andrew Trueblood. “The Bowser Administration’s efforts to invest in infrastructure and support the Union Station Expansion Project are critical to ensuring that District residents can thrive, that visitors can fully enjoy the District of Columbia, and that our investments are moving us toward our ambitious climate goals.”

The Mayor’s $17.5 billion budget makes significant investments to transportation priorities that will make it easier for residents, visitors, and commuters to travel throughout the city—and to/from key transit East Coast hubs such as Union Station.

One of the larger investments is $215 million to completely replace the H Street Bridge to improve safety and support Union Station redevelopment and expansion of high-speed rail in and out of DC​. Sometimes referred to as the “Hopscotch” Bridge the H Street Bridge spans over 1st Street NE, WMATA tracks, Amtrak tracks and platforms, and 2nd Street NE at Union Station. The new bridge will accommodate the H/Benning Streetcar Line, allow for Amtrak to increase its train capacities at Union Station, and allow for development of the air rights above the tracks.

Other investments that impact Union Station include:

  • Enhancing the Capital Bikeshare experience at Union Station by opening and operating a new Adaptive Bikeshare hub

  • Expanding bus-only lanes and other initiatives to improve bus speeds and reliability on 50+ priority bus corridors throughout the city

  • Supporting the expansion of DC Circulator by funding free rides and extending routes

The Mayor’s FY 22 investments in local and regional transportation options come on the heels of an announcement last September by Mayor Bowser and Virginia Governor Ralph S. Northam about a major railway improvement project. The Long Bridge Project will expand passenger capacity for Amtrak and regional carriers, as well as commercial rail capacity, by adding two new bridges spanning the Potomac River: a two-track structure adjacent to the existing bridge and a new bicycle and pedestrian only bridge. In doing so, the project supports the Bowser Administration’s goals of building a region that is more connected, greener, and more sustainable.

New York City’s Moynihan Train Hall opened for Amtrak and MTA Long Island Rail Road service on January 1, 2021. Its first phase, completed in 2017, included a $300 million concourse to improve direct access to most of Penn Station’s tracks. The recently completed second phase, developed under a public-private partnership, includes large, spacious areas for customers, accessibility features, state-of-the-art technologies using free customer Wi-Fi, a large boarding concourse featuring a sky lit atrium, a new reserved customer waiting room, and Red Cap Service.