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Northeast Edition
October 22 2025 Vol. LXVII • No. 22
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Inside
Howard Street Tunnel Opens Ahead of Schedule By Brenda Ruggiero
The gantry crane sets the precast inverts after the floor has been excavated to increase the tunnel’s clearance.
CEG CORRESPONDENT
VDOT Bundles Work Along I-81...8
Tracey Road Equipment Holds ‘All Day’ Event...12
Nittany Tractor & Equipment Celebrates Grand Opening...24
On Sept. 26, 2025, an expanded Howard Street Tunnel reopened in Baltimore, Md. CSX noted that this historic and transformative more than $450 million infrastructure project will modernize freight rail transportation along the East Coast. The project marks a major milestone in the decades of effort by state, federal and private partners to deliver a long-sought boost to Maryland’s economy and the nation’s supply chain. “The completion of the Howard Street Tunnel reflects the dedication of our people — a once-in-a-generation achievement that will drive commerce, jobs and growth across Maryland and the East Coast for decades,” said Joe Hinrichs, president and CEO of CSX. “This project reinforces CSX’s position as a high-performing, customer-focused railroad investing for profitable growth.” The Howard Street Tunnel (HST) stands as a testament to 19th-century engineering and continues to serve as a vital piece of modern infrastructure. Built in 1895 and extended in the 1980s, the brick-lined passage serves as CSX’s
Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
main North-South rail line along the East Coast. As one of the last remaining single-track segments on the CSX network, it represents a unique challenge and infrastructure opportunity on one of America’s busiest freight routes.
To address this issue, CSX awarded a $242 million contract in January 2024 to a joint venture (JV) between Skanska and Fay, S&B USA Construction to lower the tunnel floor to increase
The AI Age Means Work
Contractors Specializing in Site Prep, & Parts Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46-54 Pre-Construction Are Hot Commodities
Crawler Loaders, Dozers, Undercarriages
The AI Age is good news for civil contractors who specialize in site prep and pre-construction. Under its pillar to accelerate AI innovation, the Trump administration calls for reduced red tape and
Paving Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59-75
By Lucy Perry
Snow & Ice Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77-78
In July, the White House announced its action plan for winning the global AI race. Innovation, infrastructure and international see AI page 38 diplomacy are named pillars of the administration’s plan to push AI Adobe Stock photo development and deployment. Data centers require access to Near-term goals are set and a dependable network of utiliimplementation actions are recom- ties, including power, water and mended. high-speed data connections.
Business Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94 Auction Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104-112 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
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see TUNNEL page 44