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Amtrak plans $7 billion upgrade of DC's Union Station
The national passenger rail service, Amtrak, is planning to spend $7 billion upgrading its station in Washington, D.C.
The upgrades were detailed in a master plan for Washington, D.C.'s Union Station the agency released on Wednesday. Among the plan's provisions is the creation of a new train shed and building new passenger concourses and street entrances.
Amtrak CEO Joe Boardman said it made sense for the agency to invest in its station in the national capital.
"Washington Union Station is an integral part of the Northeast transportation network, facing urgent capacity issues and a need to expand to support increasing ridership growth across all services,” Boardman said in a statement. “This plan will transform the station into a world-class transportation hub to serve the region and the mobility needs of generations of passengers yet to come."
Deputy Transportation Secretary and Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC) Chairman John Porcari agreed with Boardman that it was important to invest in the Washington, D.C., station.
“Today’s plan ensures that Union Station will continue to serve as the gateway to our nation’s capital, providing growing numbers of passengers with even greater transportation options,” Porcari said in a statement. “The Department of Transportation is committed to Union Station’s future, both as an important part of the local economy and of the president’s vision for a revitalized Northeast Corridor.”
Amtrak said the renovations to Union Station will make it easier for the station to accommodate high-speed trains in the future. Amtrak has called for increasing the speed of its trains to more than 200 miles per hour by 2030.
