Amtrak has awarded more than $4.1 million to 11 West and Central Baltimore organizations, marking the first round of funding under a Community Investment Program tied to the B&P Tunnel Replacement Program. The grants support workforce training, neighborhood improvements, youth programs and historic preservation over the project's planned 10-year construction window.

The existing Baltimore & Potomac Tunnel — a 1.4-mile bore opened in 1873 — is Amtrak's oldest operating tunnel and runs at capacity, with tight curves holding train speeds to 30 mph. Amtrak will replace it with two new electrified tunnels for Amtrak and MARC passenger services, a fully accessible West Baltimore MARC Station and 10 miles of rail alignment upgrades.

What will the $4.1 million fund?

The first-round grants cover five priority areas identified through community outreach:

• Workforce training and job-readiness programs
• Neighborhood improvements along the alignment
• Youth education and career-pathway initiatives
• Historic preservation projects
• Mitigation of construction-period impacts

Amtrak's total community commitment reaches $50 million over the next decade. Separately, the agency says the replacement program will deliver $750 million of direct infrastructure benefits to Baltimore, including new road bridges, utility work and the rebuilt MARC station.

Who is speaking for the program?

Luigi Rosa, Amtrak Assistant Vice President leading the B&P Tunnel Replacement Program, said the awards represent a first tranche rather than a one-off.

"This is the first of many community investments we will make over the coming decade as Amtrak works to deliver a modern tunnel that improves rail service while creating lasting benefits for Baltimore," Rosa said.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott framed the grants as a deliberate link between megaproject construction and resident-level outcomes.

"This investment will help ensure that the residents of West Baltimore benefit directly from Amtrak's work to replace the B&P Tunnel," Scott said. "These grants support community-driven efforts to create jobs, strengthen workforce training, and connect young people with career opportunities."

Maryland Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary for Project Development and Delivery Joe McAndrew pointed to state-level alignment. "This project is supporting healthy communities in diverse ways — from bringing faster and better service for Amtrak and MARC riders, to a brand-new West Baltimore MARC station and direct investments in valued partner organizations," McAndrew said.

How does the new alignment differ from the old?

The replacement program is sized to remove the constraints that have defined operations through the existing bore for more than 150 years. Key changes include:

• Two new electrified tunnels replacing one unelectrified bore
• Removal of the 30 mph speed restriction imposed by the existing tunnel's curvature
• A fully accessible West Baltimore MARC Station
• 10 miles of new and upgraded rail infrastructure
• New road bridges and utility relocations along the alignment

Amtrak says the new alignment is designed to cut delay-causing maintenance and allow both Amtrak intercity and MARC commuter services to operate through Baltimore at higher speeds. Operational performance baselines — annual delay minutes, on-time percentages and capacity figures — were not provided in the announcement.

What happens next?

The first of two tunnel boring machines is scheduled to launch in 2028. Construction-period mitigation also includes sound barriers, noise and vibration monitoring and continuing community outreach, according to Amtrak.

The next round of Community Grant applications opens in spring 2027.