Skanska-FlatironDragados Joint Venture Secures $1-Billion Contract for Long Bridge North Project

The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) has awarded the Skanska-FlatironDragados Joint Venture a $1-billion contract for the Long Bridge North Project, marking a significant step towards modernizing and expanding rail services in the region. This project is the initial phase of a broader initiative to replace the current two-track rail corridor with a four-track system, thereby increasing both freight and passenger rail capacity.

Spanning approximately one mile from East Potomac Park to Washington D.C.’s L’Enfant Interlocking, the project will allocate the refurbished eastern tracks for CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT) freight rail, while the newly constructed western tracks will serve passenger services, including Amtrak Virginia, Amtrak’s long-distance service, and Virginia Railway Express (VRE). This upgrade is expected to significantly improve the connectivity of local, regional, and national transportation networks.

Michael Viggiano of Skanska USA Civil and Jim Schneiderman of FlatironDragados have both emphasized the project's potential to transform rail service in the Capital Region and the collaborative approach to minimizing construction risks. With construction set to begin in July 2025 and expected to conclude by the fourth quarter of 2030, the project involves cooperation among CSXT, Amtrak, VRE, the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), the National Park Service (NPS), and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), among others.