Local Business Organizations and Northeast Maglev Announce Partnership

Northeast Maglev, the company bringing the Superconducting Maglev (SCMAGLEV) high-speed train project to the Northeast Corridor, joined with the Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Northern Anne Arundel County, and Prince George’s Chambers of Commerce, to announce a partnership offering the business organizations’ support for the first phase of the multi-billion dollar project and the local business opportunities it will create.

Recognizing the SCMAGLEV project as a catalyst for economic development and an innovative solution to the gridlock that makes the Northeast Corridor the most congested region in the nation, chamber executives voiced support for the positive impact the project will have on the area businesses, visitors, residents, and state and local economies. All four chambers represent geographic areas along the proposed high-speed train’s initial route.

The SCMAGLEV will start with a 36-mile route from Washington, D.C. to Baltimore City, with a stop at BWI Marshall Airport. Ultimately, one-hour service from Washington, D.C. to New York City will be available. The project is currently under review by federal, state and local agencies as the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Maryland Department of Transportation-Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT-MTA) prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Project construction could begin in 2021 if timely approvals are received.

Approximately 75 percent of the route is expected to be in deep tunnels. Seven or eight TBMs with a diameter of 50 ft will drill 30 miles of tunnel, 80 to 150 ft underground. The majority of the remaining route will be on viaduct. Surface impacts, whether below ground or above ground, will be designed to be minimized.

Northeast Maglev Chairman and CEO Wayne Rogers hailed the partnership as a significant moment for the project, saying: “Just as the B&O Railroad was a transformative public transportation infrastructure initiative that benefited companies, communities and citizens of its day and beyond, the SCMAGLEV project will begin in Maryland and make our great state stronger and more competitive. We are thrilled to partner with these four chambers of commerce based on the abundance of local business opportunities the project will create and the new businesses it will attract to the region.”

The four Chambers of Commerce serve more than 1,500 member organizations, representing cities, agencies and businesses throughout portions of Central Maryland interested in the project’s development and the contributions it will make to the business community.

Northeast Maglev is continuing to work to engage members of local communities, listening to residents and addressing concerns while partnering with like-minded organizations that seek to maximize the benefits associated with bringing a high-speed train to the region.

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