Long Bridge Project begins construction

A new two-track railroad bridge that will connect Arlington with Washington, D.C. broke ground Oct. 15 and is slated to be completed in 2030.

The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) is constructing the state’s Long Bridge Project. The largest of the Commonwealth’s Transforming Rail in Virginia projects, Long Bridge is a $2.3 billion infrastructure improvement which will provide increased capacity for passenger rail over the Potomac River.

Site preparation will begin over the next few weeks with large-scale construction beginning in 2025. The new bridge will be constructed adjacent to the existing bridge, a 119-year-old river crossing that currently operates at 98% capacity during peak periods. The goal is to relieve one of the largest rail traffic bottlenecks on the East Coast. Further, the new bridge will aid the state in separating passenger rail from freight rail, improving the on-time performance for both, VPRA said.

“Travelers from Boston to Miami will feel the effects of this project, and through our Transforming Rail in Virginia initiative, VPRA’s capital investments will add $7.2 billion to our economy,” said DJ Stadtler, executive director of the VPRA.

Transforming Rail is a national model for state-supported passenger rail service that will give Virginians an alternative to driving along congested highways and interstates. The initiative calls for moving Virginians by using an existing rail corridor and building new infrastructure. When complete, TRV will enable the state’s Amtrak Virginia service to offer a total of 13 daily round trips, up from eight currently, traveling throughout the state and connecting to the Northeast Corridor.

VPRA began its TRV expansion by purchasing rail right-of-way from freight partners, CSX and Norfolk Southern, acquiring nearly 500 miles of railroad right-of-way in corridors along I-95, I-64, I-85, I-81, and I-66. Just last month, VPRA signed a new deal with Norfolk Southern to purchase the Manassas Line, and gain access to their Main Line for service to the New River Valley. 

By purchasing railroad right-of-way, VPRA now has the unique opportunity to own these assets and further enhance rail capacity. With the Norfolk Southern agreement as well as a similar 2021 agreement with CSX, VPRA can now work with VRE to expand their service on both the Manassas and Fredericksburg Lines including offering evening and weekend trains. One key milestone to the second wave of VRE expansion is completion of the Long Bridge project. More information can be found here.

Audrey Carpenter is the Loudoun County Bureau Chief for All Virginia News. She can be reached at: audreycarpenter@allvirginia.news