Skanska-Fay JV Selected for Howard Street Tunnel Clearance Project

BALTIMORE – A joint venture (JV) between Skanska and Fay, S&B USA Construction, has been selected for the $293 million Howard Street Tunnel Clearance Program, commonly known as the Howard Street Tunnel Project, which includes modernizing the historic 125-year-old Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore, Md., along CSX’s I-95 rail corridor.

The Howard Street Tunnel, originally built by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in 1895, “plays a pivotal role” in CSX’s extensive rail network, connecting major urban centers along the bustling East Coast from Florida to New England. It holds particular significance by linking the Port of Baltimore’s Seagirt Marine Terminal Intermodal Container Transfer Facility to key consumer markets in the Midwest.

“This ambitious undertaking is poised to have a far-reaching impact, beyond the confines of the Howard Street Tunnel itself,” said Keith Chouinard, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Skanska USA Civil’s Mid-Atlantic region. “The enhancements introduced by this project are anticipated to amplify productivity at the Port of Baltimore and transform freight rail efficiency and capacity along the Mid-Atlantic corridor. The project’s strategic contributions will foster economic growth, streamline logistics and strengthen the nation’s transportation infrastructure.”

With an emphasis on accommodating double-stack trains and ensuring the tunnel’s continued relevance, the Skanska-Fay JV will “execute a comprehensive improvement that entails track-lowering and tunnel enlargement techniques across the 1.7-mile expanse of the Howard Street Tunnel to increase the tunnel height from 19 to 21 feet.” Additionally, drainage improvements will be made throughout the track. Construction will be undertaken while trains are actively using the tracks.

“Having worked on this corridor with CSX on several other projects, we know the importance in enabling the passage of double-stacked trains with the completion of this project while maintaining rail traffic during the construction of this project,” states Peter MacKenna, President and CEO of S&B USA Construction (parent company of Fay). “We will use our JV team’s design and construction expertise to safely achieve maximum clearances within the existing structure.”

The tunnel is divided into three main sections: a concrete box section, a cut-and-cover section, and a mined tunnel section. This combination, Skanska says, presents a unique construction challenge due to the diverse methods used in its original construction. The Skanska-Fay JV’s innovative approach centers on “optimizing track profiles and alignments within the existing structure, meticulously achieving the prescribed horizontal and vertical clearances.”

Hatch will serve as the lead design engineer. The project is slated to commence in August 2024, with an anticipated completion in June 2027.

According to an Engineering News-Record (ENR) report, “CSX also has projects underway or in planning to clear 22 other obstructions between Baltimore and Philadelphia to allow its entire network to offer double-stack service.

“In 2021, it shared a cost estimate of $466 million for the program, which is funded by CSX, the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, Maryland and Pennsylvania. STV and Michael Baker International are providing program management and construction management services.”

An earlier version of the plan, ENR reports, was canceled in 2017 when CSX “demurred over its share of funding.” After CSX leadership met with lawmakers from Maryland the next year, they again agreed to contribute funding, officials announced at the time.