Feature, Freight News, Rail

CSX Reopens Expanded Howard Street Tunnel

[ October 16, 2025   //   Gary Burrows ]

CSX reopened the expanded Howard Street Tunnel, a historic and transformative US$450 million infrastructure project intended to modernize freight rail transportation along the East Coast.

The project marks a major milestone in the decades of effort by state, federal, and private partners to deliver a long-sought boost to Maryland’s economy and the nation’s supply chain.

“The completion of the Howard Street Tunnel reflects the dedication of our people — a once-in-a-generation achievement that will drive commerce, jobs, and growth across Maryland and the East Coast for decades,” said Joe Hinrichs, President and CEO of CSX. “This project reinforces CSX’s position as a high-performing, customer-focused railroad investing for profitable growth.”

Originally built from 1890-95, the Howard Street Tunnel has been a vital artery in the U.S. transportation network for more than 125 years. With the tunnel project completed, and once additional clearance projects are complete in early 2026, a key I-95 corridor bottleneck will be cleared, and double-stacked intermodal trains will move through Baltimore.

With this upgrade, CSX builds on its record of having the fastest and most efficient freight rail route along the I-95 corridor, seen as a service advantage from Florida to the Northeast. The project also unlocks new lane-conversion opportunities, enabling shippers to shift even more freight from highway to rail.

The project was delivered through a partnership between CSX, the State of Maryland, the Federal Railroad Administration, and the U.S. Department of Transportation. Together, these partners invested in modernizing a 19th-century tunnel to meet today’s freight demands while preserving its historic character.

The project is expected to provide the East Coast with seamless East Coast double-stack capacity on rail from Maine to Florida. Double-stacking is a more cost-effective way to transport freight by rail compared to trucks, reducing congestion along the busy I-95 corridor, and delivering environmental benefits with less emissions. It will also increase business at the Port of Baltimore by about 160,000 containers annually and generate more than 13,000 new jobs.

CSX provides rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to customers across the East Coast and markets including energy, industrial, construction, agricultural and consumer products. Its network connects nearly two-thirds of the nation’s population, and links more than 240 short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and lake ports.

Howard Street Tunnel By the Numbers

450,000     man hours worked to date, peaking at 175 field craft, 20 subcontractors, and peak salaried supervision staff of 40 engaged in the expansion.

233            consecutive days of 24/7 work in the tunnel (Feb. 5 – Sept. 25).

1,188         PCIS (precast invert slabs) placed, each weighing nearly 10 tons.

14,276       linear feet of wall drain installed.

4,000+       cubic yards of concrete placed.

24,000       cubic feet of grout placed (mixed by hand).

25,000+     cubic yards of excavated invert material removed from within tunnel.

78,000+     linear feet of temporary electrical cable installed.

Tags: CSX