Concerns about deterioration of the more than century-old Connecticut River Bridge and the risk of operational failure has prompted Amtrak to replace the bridge with a more modern one.

Amtrak发言人Jason Abrams说。“由于其年龄和状况恶化，现有桥梁的操作可靠性处于高风险。”

The bridge is currently at 90% design and Amtrak is “working toward a 100% design to be submitted in the near future,” with计划开始购买承包商根据Amtrak的网站，在2023年初。环境评估和初步设计已经完成，EPA国家环境政策法案正在进行重新评估。

根据艾布拉姆斯（Abrams）的数据，建设定于2024财政年度的第一季度开始，预计到2029财政年度，总持续时间为68个月。

“The new bridge will improve the bridge’s functionality and serviceability to a useful life of 150 years, a far greater period than the current bridge’s 100-year useful life,” says Abrams, who notes that any train traveling between New Haven and Boston uses the bridge, “making it an essential component of Northeast Corridor travel, especially on the North End of the Corridor.”

The bridge includes an investment of $500 million from Amtrak, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), according to Amtrak. Amtrak and ConnDOT will provide 38% in matching funds, bringing the total to more than $100 million toward the project, which has received two grants of $65.2 million each, the first in 2020 and another in August from the Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair程序.

The project is scheduled to replace the existing 107-year-old bridge that carries 56 trains across the bridge every weekday between Old Saybrook and Old Lyme, Conn, including 38 Amtrak trains, 12 ConnDOT trains and six Providence & Worcester trains, Abrams says.

Amtrak聘请了总部位于纽约的工程公司Hardesty＆Hanover担任第三方顾问来设计新桥。H＆H的网站说：“首席设计师将设计“两轨电动篮子铁路桥的离线更换，横穿一条主要的潮汐河，大约1500英尺的进近结构和将近一英里的at级进近工程工作。”

该项目的范围包括环境许可，所有设计学科的项目管理以及多个专业亚咨询者；根据美国铁路，地形和测深的调查和轨道设计 - 工程和维护路线协会指南和Amtrak标准。该范围还包括岩土研究和基础设计；公民设计的方法和方法挡土墙；通行权和地役权的确定以及公用事业调查和工程。

艾布拉姆斯说，安装带有可移动桥的电动两轨将提高桥梁的功能和可维修性。

While the current lift span miter rails limits speeds to 45 mph, the new lift span will allow for 70 mph due to an improved miter rail design, Abrams says. “However, speed restrictions on the curves on either side of Connecticut River Bridge must be optimized where practicable to attain the most benefit possible from the bridge speed improvements.”

的起源nal bridge “comprises a 1,564-ft-long two-track, open deck, electrified railroad bridge, “consisting of seven thru-truss spans, two- two-deck girder spans, and one 158-ft Scherzer-type rolling lift span,” the H&H website notes. “In recent years, the draw span of the bridge has been operated approximately 3,700 times annually to accommodate navigation on the Connecticut River.”

根据2021年10月的一份报告，Amtrak的东北走廊的457英里主线从波士顿到华盛顿特区。仍包括许多在内战期间建造的桥梁和隧道（1861-1865）和新政时代（1933-1941）。报告警告说，如果运输机构无法满足走廊的好处，这可能“进一步影响服务的可靠性并危害东北地区和整个国家的福祉”。