The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) has broken ground on several rail projects in Alexandria that will increase passenger and freight capacity on the corridor used by Amtrak, Virginia Railway Express (VRE), and CSX. The work supports VPRA’s Transforming Rail in Virginia program.
The Alexandria Fourth Track project will add six miles of new railroad infrastructure between Arlington and Alexandria. The project budget is $238.4 million. VPRA and its partners will construct an additional track to reduce delays and expand train operations.
A second project will replace the railroad bridges at King Street and Commonwealth Avenue. VPRA and CSX designed the structures, and VRE will build them as part of its station improvement work. The bridge replacement budget is $97.7 million.
VRE will also lead the $133.7 million Alexandria Station Improvements project. Work includes replacing the at-grade crossing with a passenger tunnel, upgrading platforms, and increasing station capacity to support train service on both tracks.
The City of Alexandria will deliver streetscape improvements under the King Street and Commonwealth Avenue bridges. Costs for this work are under development.
All projects align with the timeline of the Long Bridge expansion, scheduled for completion in 2030. Funding comes from the Commonwealth of Virginia, Amtrak, VRE, and the Federal Railroad Administration.