STV is celebrating the successful reopening of Baltimore’s historic Howard Street Tunnel after helping to deliver one of the East Coast’s most complex rail infrastructure projects ahead of schedule and under budget.
The tunnel’s reopening marks a major milestone in the Howard Street Tunnel Clearance Program, a $500 million initiative led by CSX Transportation (CSX) in partnership with federal, state and local stakeholders. The program is designed to eliminate one of the most significant bottlenecks on the I‑95 rail corridor. Once complete, it will allow double-stacked containers to move seamlessly between Maine and Florida, strengthening the nation’s supply chain and supporting regional economies.
As program manager, STV oversees design reviews and construction execution across all 10 construction packages, including modifications to the 1.7-mile tunnel and clearance improvements at 21 additional sites in Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania.
In February, CSX made the strategic decision to temporarily close the tunnel to accelerate progress and improve safety. This enabled crews to work continuously, adapting to evolving conditions and schedules in real time.
“This project was fluid every week – schedules, staffing and even construction sequencing had to adapt on the fly,” said George King, senior program manager at STV. “Our team worked closely with CSX, community members and contractors so that the tunnel could reopen safely and earlier than expected.”
The reopening ceremony brought together CSX leadership, state and local officials, community partners and freight industry representatives to watch the first train travel through the tunnel in nearly nine months.
“The Howard Street Tunnel is a critical link in the East Coast freight rail system, and completing this portion of the program is a major achievement for Baltimore and the region,” said Ted Coffey, PE, vice president and freight practice director at STV. “We’re proud to support CSX in delivering this transformative infrastructure investment.”
With rail traffic restored through downtown Baltimore, CSX has resumed normal operations and is one step closer to unlocking the full benefits of the program. When fully completed in 2026, the Howard Street Tunnel Clearance Program is expected to significantly increase capacity for the Port of Baltimore, enabling hundreds of thousands of additional container moves annually, while reducing truck traffic, easing congestion and supporting environmental sustainability across the corridor.
