State Gets $125M Federal Grant To Expand Howard Street Tunnel

Gov. Larry Hogan on Monday announced that Maryland will receive $125 million in federal grant money to support a joint project with CSX to expand the Howard Street tunnel. However, the grant is far less than what the state asked for.

The funding under the Infrastructure for Rebuilding Grant Program will support a project that will eventually allow double-stacked containers through the tunnel and help break the rail bottleneck before the Port of Baltimore. In March, state officials asked the federal government for $228 million. However, in a statement Monday, Hogan cheered the award.

“For years, our administration has pursued funding for this critical project, and after a number of roadblocks, we are finally able to move forward on reconstruction,” Hogan said. “This grant will help us to break a coast-wide bottleneck, further bolstering our economic success at the Port of Baltimore and across the state. I want to thank the U.S. Department of Transportation, CSX, and our partners at the Port for making this initiative a reality.”

Height restrictions in the tunnel prevent double-stacked containers from reaching the port. Double-stacking containers is more cost-effective and leads to less interstate congestion and less air pollution.

CSX and the state have committed $270 million to the project.