Blumenthal, Murphy, Lamont, Himes, & Courtney Announce Over $144 Million in Federal Funding for Rail Bridges

(HARTFORD, CT) – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT), Governor Ned Lamont, U.S. Representatives Jim Himes (CT-4), and Joe Courtney (CT-2) today announced that Connecticut has been awarded more than $144 million from the Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Grant Program to help fund the replacement of the Walk Bridge in Norwalk and the Connecticut River Bridge between Old Lyme and Old Saybrook.

“This $145 million grant will provide Connecticut with the urgently needed funding to replace both the Walk Bridge and Connecticut River Bridge – vital structures that have long outlived their intended lifespans. Rail passengers along the Northeast Corridor deserve speedy and reliable service on Amtrak, New Haven Line, and Shoreline East. I will continue to fight for every federal dollar for Connecticut’s rail and transportation infrastructure to help grow our state’s economy,” said Blumenthal.

“The U.S. Department of Transportation funding we secured today is big deal for Connecticut. The Walk Bridge and the Connecticut River Bridge are both over a century old, and they are major chokepoints on the Northeast Corridor—affecting travel within our state and well beyond our borders. Connecticut’s economic competitiveness depends in large part on its connection to Boston and New York. This funding represents a big step towards modernizing the Northeast Corridor, and I will continue to work to protect and enhance Connecticut’s transportation infrastructure,” said Murphy.

“One of Connecticut’s many strengths is the state’s access to rail and the major cities to our East and South. Fixing our aging bridges is about public safety and speeding up our transportation system. Our Department of Transportation will do a great job in making these improvements for our rail passengers. Thank you to the Connecticut Congressional delegation for their support of the state’s applications,” said Lamont.

“The Walk Bridge is a critical juncture for commerce traveling along the East Coast. But, for too long, we’ve been trying to accommodate a 21st Century economy with 19th Century technology. Securing these funds has been a top priority of ours because we need critical infrastructure investment to keep Connecticut thriving and competitive for years to come,” said Himes.

“Today’s announcement of a long overdue modernization of the Old Saybrook bridge is critical to ensure passenger safety and faster transit of rail service. As the region knows, the existing structure has long outlived its life span. The upgrade will also provide a shot in the arm to the building trades and I look forward to working with Federal Rail to target local contractors and skilled workers when the time comes to award this sizable contract,” said Courtney.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT), in partnership with Amtrak, was awarded $79.7 million in federal funds to assist with replacing the existing movable Norwalk (Walk) River Bridge, built in 1896, with two independent two-track vertical lift rail bridges in Norwalk, Connecticut, including supporting rehabilitation work on the bridge approach embankments and retaining walls, installation of new catenary structures, and signal system upgrades.

Amtrak, in partnership with CTDOT was awarded $65.2 million in federal fund to assist with replacing the existing, 113-year-old Connecticut River Bridge with a modern and resilient new moveable bridge immediately to the south of the existing structure. The replacement bridge would maintain the two-track configuration and existing channel location, and provide a bascule moveable span with additional vertical clearance for maritime traffic.

Blumenthal, Murphy, and Himes sent a letter in support of funding for the Walk Bridge.

Blumenthal, Murphy, and Courtney sent a letter in support of funding for the Connecticut River Bridge.

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