AMTRAK has selected Advance, a joint venture of Aecom and Jacobs, to act as the delivery partner for the $US 6bn Frederick Douglass Tunnel Programme on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in Baltimore.

Amtrak says this is the first time it has deployed a delivery partner model for one of its major infrastructure projects. Under the model, the private partners will share the risk with Amtrak to deliver the project. They are also offered incentives to achieve the project’s overall outcomes.

Advance will establish an integrated programme management team alongside Amtrak’s in-house capital delivery department to progress the project through to completion. The delivery partner’s work will include design, oversight, construction management, contract management and other administrative support.

The joint venture also includes Sener, Turner & Townsend, RailPros, Aldea Services and Dr Sauer & Partners.

The Fredrick Douglass Tunnel is Amtrak’s single largest infrastructure project. It consists of a new 3.2km twin-bore tunnel, as well as a comprehensive upgrade of a 16.5km section of the NEC south of Baltimore.

The new tunnel will replace the ageing Baltimore & Potomac (B&P) Tunnel, which is a major bottleneck on the NEC, with its tight curves limiting the speed of the 90-100 Amtrak and Marc commuter trains that use it every weekday to 50km/h. The Frederick Douglass Tunnel will enable speeds of up to 160km/h and is part of a realignment of a 6.4km section of the NEC.

A joint venture of Kiewit and J F Shea was awarded a contract to construct the new tunnel in February. Preparatory work on the project began in 2023 and utility relocations and work on the first of five bridges will start later this year. Construction of the tunnel is expected to commence in 2026.

“We’re proud to award this important delivery partner contract that will help continue the positive momentum for the Frederick Douglass Tunnel Programme,” says Amtrak executive vice-president of capital delivery, Ms Laura Mason.

“Amtrak has built an industry-leading capital delivery department and continues to leverage innovative project delivery approaches like this, as we work to replace and modernise our critical infrastructure assets.”

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