America’s government-owned passenger rail corporation, Amtrak, revealed the plan. Amtrak stated the improvements will accommodate three times as many passengers and twice as many trains. The station serves the Metrorail’s Red Line and phase four of the plan provides for further expanded tracks and platforms on a lower level, and the creation of a new Amtrak lower-level concourse. Work involving Metrorail’s Red Line is planned to begin in 2028.
The estimated cost for the plan is between USD 6.5bn and USD 7.5bn.
Phase one of the four stage plan, which involves existing concourse improvements, would begin next year.
"Washington Union Station is an integral part of the Northeast transportation network, facing urgent capacity issues and a need to expand to support increasing ridership growth across all services," said Joe Boardman, Amtrak president and CEO. "This plan will transform the station into a world-class transportation hub to serve the region and the mobility needs of generations of passengers yet to come."
