President Joe Biden welcomed the Baltimore tunnel replacement plan on Monday. The tunnel has existed for about 150 yearsThe Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel replacement project is part of a $1 trillion infrastructure bill passed by Congress with bipartisan support and is one of the president’s biggest legislative wins.”The need for a 21st century rail system is long overdue in this country,” Biden said.The tunnel, built during the Civil War, is a major impediment to commuter and long-distance rail travel on the Amtrak-operated route connecting Washington, New York and Boston. Biden noted that 2,200 trains pass through it daily, making it the busiest tunnel in the United States.“People talk about the importance of upgrading the Baltimore Tunnel. There is no need to tell you that I was there and you were there too,” Biden said, referring to riding the Amtrak train during his years as a senator.Trains currently traveling at 30 miles per hour through the tunnel will travel at 110 miles per hour once repairs are complete, Biden said.The new tunnel, named after abolitionist Frederick Douglass, will be completed by 2032. Amtrak will use unionized workers, Biden said.”I know we can lead the way to an economy where no one is left to fend for themselves,” Biden said. “That’s exactly what this project is about… It’s about getting business back here in America. These are good jobs.”
