BALTIMORE — Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is preparing to negotiate with CSX Transportation and other, unnamed stakeholders to fill the funding shortfall for work on Baltimore’s Howard Street Tunnel.
The Baltimore Sun reports that Hogan declined to say whether the state might contribution more to the project, citing “sensitive negotiations,” but that he promised to “push in all directions” to find the funding for the project.
The federal government announced a $125 million grant to help fund the project, which will increase clearances in the 124-year-old tunnel to allow for double-stack container traffic. [See “Federal funding will allow Howard Street Tunnel project to begin,” Trains News Wire, July 23, 2019.] But that’s $103 million less than state and railroad officials had hoped for. The state has committed $147 million, and CSX has pledged $91 million. The project is expected to cost $466 million.
CSX declined to comment on the negotiations but told the newspaper in a statement that it “will continue our collaborative relationship with our state and federal partners.”
