Kaine, Warner announce $100M for rail bridge in NoVa

U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine announced $100 million in federal funds Thursday for the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority to build a rail bridge to ease congestion along a busy stretch of railway in Fairfax County.

The money will go toward design and construction of the Franconia-Springfield Bypass, a bridge that will allow Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express trains to cross over two freight rail tracks south of the Franconia-Springfield station. According to a news release, the project will expand service capacity and help thwart delays. CSX, Amtrak and VRE use the tracks, and construction is set to take place between 2024 and 2026.

“Passenger rail is a vital connector for so many Virginians — carrying people to their work, their families and their travel plans,” Warner and Kaine said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to see this funding make rail safer and more efficient for Virginians by addressing a critical chokepoint in a vital location, alleviating congestion for hundreds of Virginians every single day.”

The funding is awarded through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program, and made possible by the bipartisan infrastructure law and the FY2022 government spending bill.

According to a May report, VRE saw 6,233 daily riders across its system in April. The Fredericksburg line, which passes through Franconia-Springfield, saw a little less than 4,000 daily riders during that month.