By Railfan & Railroad Staff

Amtrak has broken ground on a new bridge over the Connecticut River on its busy Northeast Corridor route between Old Saybrook and Old Lyme, Conn. The $1.3 billion project will replace the current bridge that opened in 1907 along the former New Haven Railroad route. 

“Amtrak is thrilled to join our partners to break ground on the new Connecticut River Bridge, a project decades in the making,” said Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner. “When completed, this modern bridge will improve the customer experience by eliminating delays, providing faster journeys and modernizing another critical infrastructure asset in Connecticut that benefits the entire Northeast Corridor. 

The new bridge will carry Amtrak trains along with CTRail Shore Line East commuter trains. It will be good for 70 miles per hour, a dramatic increase from the current bridge’s 45-mile-per-house speed limit. The new bridge is expected to open in 2031.