Another push for more federal money to get the Howard Street Tunnel project completed.
On Tuesday, Governor Larry Hogan announced Maryland has submitted an application for a grant to double-stack the Howard Street Tunnel. Reconstructing CSX's 124-year-old tunnel will finally allow double-stack trains to reach the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore.
“This is an essential project for the Port of Baltimore, State of Maryland, and the entire East Coast,” said Governor Hogan. “Reconstructing the Howard Street Tunnel will create thousands of jobs, open up new trade lanes for the Port, and improve overall freight rail service across our nation. I’d like to thank our leadership team at the Port and CSX for their partnership and willingness to continue working with us on a solution. We look forward to working with our federal partners to make this transformative project a reality.”
CSX officials committed in December to spend $91 million for a project to fit trains two shipping containers high, the state will commit $147 million. Both are asking the federal government to pay the remaining $228 million to complete the project.
Officials say this would create 34,000 jobs and bring in nearly $3 billion.
Governor Hogan calls this project essential for "The Port of Baltimore, State of Maryland and the entire East Coast."
