Northern Virginia lawmakers and Gov. Glenn Youngkin gathered in Arlington on Thursday to announce $729 million in federal funding they secured to support the $2.3 billion construction of the Long Bridge rail line across the Potomac River to connect commuters and freight to the nation’s capital.
The bridge project, overseen by the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority, is part of a larger plan intended to double the capacity of passenger rail into Washington, D.C., and Virginia from as far south as North Carolina. In addition to existing rail infrastructure improvements, the project is planned to lay a third track along key sections of the corridor in Prince William, Stafford and Spotsylvania counties.
“This investment will help transform the rail system in Virginia, improving the flow of people and goods not only within the Commonwealth, but up and down the entire East Coast,” Youngkin, a Republican, said. “This project’s impact on the commonwealth cannot be overstated — it will ease congestion, make our supply chain more resilient, improve freight movement in and out of our world-class port, and boost local economies.”
