Work will begin soon on the rehabilitation and expansion of the Downeaster Amtrak intercity passenger service in Maine, US, following the finalisation of a grant agreement.
The Department of Transportation awarded a $35m federal grant to the northern New England passenger rail authority in January this year, in a bid to improve its rail infrastructure.
The Downeaster-Portland North Expansion Project will extend the service from Portland to Brunswick and is expected to increase ridership, improve connectivity and balance passenger flow.
The project aims to improve 36 highway-rail grade crossings, upgrade wayside signals and install signals on the Brunswick branch.
It will also involve the rehabilitation of 26 miles of existing rail lines and the construction of two platforms for disabled passengers.
Work is expected to take 28 months to complete.
