Bush River and Gunpowder River Bridge projects will strengthen reliability, capacity and long-term performance for key rail infrastructure in Maryland
PHILADELPHIA (October 9, 2026) — HNTB has been selected by Amtrak to provide architectural and engineering services for the replacement of the Bush River Bridge and the Gunpowder River Bridge, two critical infrastructure projects along a 20-mile segment of the Northeast Corridor (NEC) in Maryland. The projects will support efforts to improve reliability, increase capacity and enhance long-term performance along one of the nation’s busiest passenger rail corridors.
Together, the two bridge replacements play an important role in advancing higher-speed rail service while maintaining and improving operations for intercity, commuter and freight rail. The new bridge structures are expected to enhance system resiliency and reduce long-term maintenance needs.
“These projects represent an important opportunity to continue our longstanding partnership with Amtrak on infrastructure that is essential to the Northeast Corridor,” said Christian Brown, PE, HNTB project manager. “Our team looks forward to collaborating to develop solutions that align with Amtrak’s operational goals while supporting reliable service throughout the life of the project.”
The Bush River and Gunpowder River bridges are part of Amtrak’s broader effort to modernize aging infrastructure across the NEC, improving performance and supporting future service growth. Both structures serve a high volume of daily rail traffic and are critical to maintaining reliable operations across the corridor.
“HNTB’s previous and ongoing work with Amtrak on complex bridge programs across the Northeast Corridor provides a strong foundation as we move into design on these projects,” said Greg May, PE, LEED AP, HNTB Eastern U.S. rail and transit leader. “Together, we are focused on delivering solutions that align with operational needs, support constructability and provide lasting value to the corridor and the communities it serves.”
HNTB has supported Amtrak on major bridge projects throughout the Northeast Corridor for more than three decades, including ongoing work on the Susquehanna River Rail Bridge replacement in Maryland and the Portal North Bridge project in New Jersey.