Amtrak cut the ribbon on $11 million in improvements at Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Railroad Station.
Updates included adding two new escalators and interior stairs and improving station accessibility. The station is one of Amtrak’s busiest, with more than 600,000 passing through the historic structure.
“The Wilmington Station is an important transportation hub on the Northeast Corridor and this $11.6 million project is a critical investment in the station,” said Amtrak EVP of Capital Delivery Laura Mason. “Amtrak is grateful for the Delaware Federal Delegation’s continued support in funding Department of Transportation grant programs, support of the IIJA and continued partnership.”
“Each year, more than half a million Amtrak passengers rely on the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Railroad Station to get to work or school, visit family and friends, and even travel someplace new. I am one of them, taking a train to and from our nation’s Capital each day,” said U.S. Senator Tom Carper, chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “In the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we were able to secure $22 billion for Amtrak to make much-needed repairs, address maintenance backlogs, and modernize train stations like the one in Wilmington. This investment is our biggest step forward yet for the future of passenger rail, which is key to reducing roadway congestion, improving air quality, and keeping us competitive in a global economy.”
The Wilmington Station is the 20th busiest stop on the Amtrak network. Originally built in 1908, the station was rededicated as the Joseph R. Biden Jr. Railroad Station in Spring 2011 after undergoing a major restoration.
The station has long been used by the state’s Congressional Delegation as a way to come home each evening, with President Biden being dubbed “Amtrak Joe.” The Wilmington stop also allows commutes to jobs in New York City.
As part of the next phase of the Wilmington Station project, additional repair and improvement work is planned for the station and adjacent rail beds over the coming years. This project also aligns with other station upgrades on the Northeast Corridor, including boarding platform improvements nearing completion in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.
For more information on the history of Wilmington Station, please visit Great American Stations.
