The Boring Company is in discussions with federal transportation officials to potentially help reduce costs on Amtrak’s largest infrastructure project—the Frederick Douglass Tunnel program. The talks come as the project’s estimated costs have surged from an initial $4 billion to as high as $8.5 billion.
The Frederick Douglass Tunnel is designed to replace the Baltimore & Potomac Tunnel built in 1873, a critical link in Amtrak’s network connecting Baltimore to Washington, D.C., and Virginia. The project aims to alleviate bottlenecks and improve travel speeds, replacing the existing tunnel where trains are currently limited to 30 mph (48km/h).
According to a report from The Baltimore Sun, officials from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) have consulted with The Boring Company to explore whether they can identify cost-saving measures and improve construction efficiency.
While no formal contract has been awarded, these discussions focus on a potential “value engineering” review—an analysis of the project’s design and costs—rather than direct construction work.
A spokesperson from the U.S. Department of Transportation emphasized that the agency is engaging with multiple engineering stakeholders, not just The Boring Company, in an effort to manage escalating expenses.
Amtrak’s project is scheduled to begin major construction in 2026 and finish by 2035. Whether The Boring Company secures a formal role in the Frederick Douglass Tunnel project remains to be seen. Officials maintain that any future contracts will follow standard bidding and procurement processes.
