Amtrak Awards Connecticut River Bridge Contract

Amtrak will soon begin construction of a new, modern Connecticut River Bridge to replace the existing bridge, which opend in 1907. It is located on the Northeast Corridor between the towns of Old Saybrook and Old Lyme and used by Amtrak, CTRail’s Shore Line East and freight trains. (Amtrak Rendering)

Amtrak on June 28 reported awarding the O&G/Tutor Perini joint venture a construction contract to replace the existing Connecticut River Bridge, which opened in 1907 and links Old Saybrook and Old Lyme, Conn.

A new two-track bridge will replace the existing two-track bridge, which Amtrak said is unreliable due to its failure to open and close consistently, resulting in cascading delays to rail and maritime traffic. The existing bridge is 1,500 feet long and serves more than 50 daily Amtrak Northeast Regional and Acela trains, CTrail Shore Line East service, and various freight trains. 

To be located just south of the current bridge, the new moveable bridge will feature modern track, signal, catenary, power, communication, and other supporting rail infrastructure, according to Amtrak. It has been designed for a maximum speed of 70 mph—up from the current maximum speed of 45 mph—and with additional clearance, which is slated to improve maritime navigation and safety.

The contract award follows permit approvals from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, according to Amtrak.

The Connecticut River Bridge project is being delivered through a Design-Bid-Build contract. The design is 100% complete, and construction will begin in late-summer or early-fall 2024, Amtrak reported.

Amtrak said it previously awarded a construction management contract to AECOM for assistance “with management of the construction contractor, document control, schedule and budget oversight, and community outreach support.” AECOM’s team will be integrated with Amtrak’s Capital Delivery department and construction contractor.

The approximately $1.3 billion project is partially funded through a $826.64 million federal grant from the Federal Railroad Administration; Amtrak and the state of Connecticut will fund the remainder.

As for the next step, Amtrak said it will continue its public outreach for the project with an open house event in the future.