Could Annapolis Get an Amtrak Stop?

The possibility of a Washington-Annapolis-Wilmington route was included in a new proposal to improve rail service in the Northeast, according to the NEC Future report from the Federal Railroad Administration.

The report offered a series of "preliminary alternatives" to enhance service in the region by 2040, including a Washington-Annapolis-Wilmington route that would bypass Baltimore and possibly even produce spurs to the Delmarva Peninsula and Ocean City.

Researchers studied the entire area from Washington, DC, to Boston to find areas underserved by rail. It presented 15 alternative plans involving cities throughout the Northeast.

It's unclear what path a rail line would take to Annapolis, but some experts were skeptical about any plan that involved trains nearing the Chesapeake Bay. 

“How in the world would they fund this when you need to cross the Chesapeake?” said Scott Spencer, a Delaware-based consultant to the rail industry told delawareonline.com. “Whether tunneling across or bridge construction along the Bay Bridge alignment—I can’t imagine how it’s possible on the first pass.”

Any proposal involving Annapolis would be studied further in the next phase of the development process, federal officials said. The 15 alternative proposals must be narrowed down by 2015. 

See more:

• New High Speed Rail Line Could Bypass Baltimore for Annapolis

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