Getting Off Track: the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project in an International Context

Abstract

The Northeast Corridor Improvement Project aimed to upgrade the most important passenger route in the country so that it could support high-speed trains. By the early 1970s, North America's rail network had been in decline for decades. However, the energy crisis and strong congressional support prompted a policy of reinvestment. Execution of the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project was plagued with problems owing to both lack of experience delivering major rail projects and a counter-productive, complex administrative structure resulting from conflicts between Congress and the White House. The project's original scope, which was necessary to achieve high-speed operations, was reduced over time as budgetary limits were exceeded. Compared to the coeval Paris–Lyon high-speed rail project, Northeast Corridor Improvement Project history demonstrates the importance of continuous infrastructure investment to maintain the expertise necessary to effectively deliver major capital projects.