25 replies to this topic

[CNJRoss]

The Washington Post, 9/18:

Long Bridge project gets $2.8 million from federal government

The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded $2.8 million for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) study for the long-term replacement of the Long Bridge over the Potomac River.

The century-old bridge, which runs parallel to the 14th Street Bridge used by motorists, is the only direct rail connection between the District and Virginia. The two-track bridge is used by CSX, Amtrak and the Virginia Railway Express.

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[CNJRoss]

VRE Train Talk eNews, 1/13:

 

 

DDOT will be holding a public information meeting about Long Bridge on January 27th.

 

 

 

[CNJRoss]

VRE Train Talk eNews, 9/13/16:

 

Long Bridge public meeting coming up on September 14th

 

VRE is collaborating with the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), CSX Transportation (CSXT) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) in analyzing potential railroad capacity solutions for Long Bridge.

 

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) invite you to attend a public scoping meeting for the Long Bridge Project Environmental Impact Statement (EIS):

 

Wednesday, September 14, 2016 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. L'Enfant Plaza Club Room, Promenade Level 470 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, DC L'Enfant Plaza Metro and VRE Station The Club Room is located in the hallway between retailers Gadget TLC and Jay Jewelers. For more detailed directions to the meeting room, go to http://longbridgepro...lic-involvement.

 

The EIS is being prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). The scoping meeting will provide the public an opportunity to express their comments on a comprehensive study to address long-term railroad capacity and reliability issues for the Long Bridge corridor, which crosses the Potomac River from Arlington, VA into Washington, DC. The scoping meeting will focus on recent project activities, next steps in the NEPA process, the proposed EIS Study Area, purpose and need, alternatives evaluation criteria, environmental effects to be considered and evaluated, and methodologies to be used for evaluating effects.

 

The September 14th scoping meeting will be conducted as an open-house. Interested members of the public are invited to stop in at any point from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

 

The current two-track Long Bridge was constructed in 1904 and is owned and maintained by CSX Transportation (CSXT). It is the only freight railroad crossing over the Potomac River between DC and VA. Currently, the bridge serves CSXT freight trains, Amtrak passenger trains, and VRE commuter trains. Norfolk Southern also has trackage rights on the bridge and connecting CSXT tracks.

 

The Long Bridge is located within the Washington Monumental Core. The EIS Study Area extends approximately 3.2 miles from VRE Crystal City Station in Arlington, VA to Control Point (CP) Virginia near Third Street, SW in Washington, DC. The Study Area includes federal park land managed by the National Park Service; historic and cultural properties; the Potomac River; offices, hotels, and apartment buildings; and transportation facilities (VRE Crystal City Station, VRE L’Enfant Station, Long Bridge, eleven other railroad bridges, and four roadway bridges); and numerous pedestrian and bicycle trails.

 

The goal of the EIS is to develop project alternatives; analyze the potential impacts of the alternatives on the social, economic, and environmental resources; identify measures to avoid and/or mitigate significant adverse impacts; identify a preferred alternative; and obtain a Record of Decision pursuant to NEPA. Preparation of the EIS will be coordinated with other federal and local laws and regulations, including Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, Section 4(f) of the US Department of Transportation Act of 1966, and Section 139 of the FAST Act of 2015.

 

If you are from unable to attend the scoping meeting, FRA and DDOT are accepting public comments August 26 - September 26, 2016. For more information, visit www.longbridgeproject.com. or call 202-671-2218.

 

[CNJRoss]

Related topics:

 

VRE System Plan 2040

 

VA Governor announces plans for additional rail capacity

[CNJRoss]

VRE Train Talk eNews, 4/28:

Long Bridge public meeting coming up on May 16th

 

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) invite the public to an informational meeting to review the preliminary concept screening results for the Long Bridge Project. Concept screening helps identify and develop project alternatives that will be evaluated in an Environment Impact Statement. This meeting is also a part of the concurrent consultation for Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).  

 

Long Bridge Public Information Meeting

 

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

 

Open House Format: 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM

 

Formal presentations: 4:30 PM and 6:00 PM (same presentation at both times)           

 

L’Enfant Plaza Club Room

(follow signs to Shops and Food Court)

470 L’Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, DC 20024

 

Directions: L'Enfant Plaza Club Room is located between Gadget TLC and Jay Jewelers in the L'Enfant Plaza Shops and Food Court.

• From D Street SW: follow the stairway up one level from D St. SW, just west of 7th St. SW next to the HUD Building, turn right then enter through the door and follow the signs to the L'Enfant Plaza Shops and Food Court.
• From L'Enfant Plaza Metrorail Station: follow the signs in the station to L'Enfant Plaza, take the escalator up and follow the signs to the L'Enfant Plaza Shops and Food Court.

For more information about the Long Bridge Project, please visit: http://longbridgeproject.com/

 

[CNJRoss]

WTOP radio 12/17/17:
 

Long Bridge rail expansion may allow biking, walking between DC and Arlington

 

 

WASHINGTON — Plans to expand a key rail bottleneck for VRE, Amtrak and freight trains between Arlington and the District will focus on building a new two-track bridge next to the existing 113-year-old Long Bridge, and could include a new parallel connection allowing people to walk or bike across the Potomac River.

 

The District Department of Transportation, which is running the project study since D.C. controls the river, has narrowed down the alternatives for the rail expansion to either a new two-track bridge just upstream and keeping the existing Long Bridge or the same new two-track bridge and replacing the existing Long Bridge.

 

SNIP

 

A bike and pedestrian path could either be built as a separate bridge next to those structures or as part of the new bridge. While that part of the crossing has not been completely reviewed yet, it is expected to get more attention in the engineering phases of the study.

 

More here.

[CNJRoss]

ARLNow, Arlington, VA 6/8/18:
 

Planners Nearing Final Designs for Complex Long Bridge Overhaul

 

 

Transportation planners have nearly finalized designs for a long-awaited effort to overhaul Virginia’s only railroad connection to D.C.

 

Officials from Virginia, D.C. and an alphabet soup’s worth of federal agencies have spent years working on plans to replace the Long Bridge — which runs roughly parallel to the 14th Street Bridge — and improve rail capacity over the Potomac River.

 

Officials say they are almost ready to commit to more concrete plans to guide the redesign. The project still needs millions of dollars in funding to move ahead, and construction wouldn’t start until 2020 at the earliest, yet planners are pushing to have engineering and environmental analyses drawn up by summer 2019.

 

SNIP

 

Both plans involve building a new, two-track bridge alongside the existing structure, which was first built back in 1904. One alternative calls for the current bridge to stay in place; the other would involve fully replacing it.

 

Either way, officials believe the project is critical for initiatives like ramping up Virginia Railway Express and Amtrak service between Virginia and the District. (emphasis added)

 

More here.

[CNJRoss]

VRE Train Talk eNews 11/14/18:

Long Bridge Project Public Information Meeting 

 

Thursday, November 29, 2018

 

Open House format: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Formal presentations: 4:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. (same presentation at both times) DCRA Building, Room E200 1100 4th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024

 

Purpose of the Meeting

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) invite the public to an informational meeting to present the Preferred Alternative for the Long Bridge Project. FRA and DDOT are preparing an Environmental Impact Statement for the Project to consider alternatives and evaluate the potential impacts of those alternatives on the environment in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. This meeting is also a part of the concurrent consultation for Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

 

Directions

Details: Room E200 is located on the second floor of the DCRA building adjacent to the elevators. Bring an ID to show at the entrance in order to access the building. Getting to the Meeting: Metrorail - Waterfront Station (Green Line) Bus - Metrobus routes 74, A9, P6, and V1; Circulator Eastern Market-L’Enfant Plaza route Be sure to check out www.goDCgo.com to learn about transportation options for getting to the meeting Directions from Waterfront Metro Station: A one-minute walk from the Metrorail Green line. Take the escalator/elevator to the ground level and walk straight, the building will be on your right.

 

http://longbridgeproject.com/

 

www.vre.org
gotrains@vre.org
Automated Service Information:
1-800-RIDE-VRE

 

 

 

     

[CNJRoss]

Greater Greater Washington,12/3/18:

Long Bridge expansion will add new railroad tracks and a bike trail between DC and Virginia

 

 

New plans call to double the number of railroad tracks over the Potomac River between DC and Arlington, and to build a new pedestrian/bicycle bridge between Southwest Washington and Crystal City.

 

Plans would add two new structures parallel to the existing Long Bridge railroad bridge, which today carries two railroad tracks over the river. One new twin bridge would add two new railroad tracks, doubling the two for a total of four. The second new structure would add a separate dedicated bridge for people biking or walking only.

 

This map shows the existing railroad bridge, its proposed twin just upstream, and the proposed bike/pedestrian bridge just upstream from that.

 

Image by DDOT.

 

SNIP

 

Long Bridge carries freight rail, Amtrak, and VRE over the Potomac into DC. Its two-track layout is at maximum capacity, and is one of the most serious bottlenecks on the east coast. Amtrak and VRE would like to run more trains, and MARC might like to extend its commuter trains into Virginia, but before any of that can happen, there need to be more tracks over the river.

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[CNJRoss]

The Washington Post, 12/22/18:

Expanding the Long Bridge is key to region’s growing rail needs, officials say

 

 

 

For more than a century, the Long Bridge has carried freight and passenger trains across the Potomac River between Crystal City and the District’s Southwest Waterfront, facilitating rail transportation along the Eastern Seaboard.

 

Officials say the bridge, a key piece of the Interstate 95 corridor’s rail network, needs to double its capacity if it is to continue to support commerce and the increasing demands for passenger rail along the East Coast.

 

The bridge’s two-track configuration creates a bottleneck in the system as trains funnel from three tracks to two, slowing the movement of freight and passengers along the corridor. A fourth track is planned to be added south and north of the bridge, which would create an even more significant choke point, transportation officials said.

 

The only solution, they say, is to add two tracks and create a four-track crossing over the Potomac to handle more commuter and intercity rail service as well as expected increases in freight transportation over the next decades.

 

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