THIS PROJECT WILL COMPLETE PLANNING, PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING AND NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT (NEPA) ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW TO SUPPORTFUTURE FINAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE BRIDGE. FUTURE PHASES INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION OF THE PROJECT WILL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING: REPLACE CURRENT BRIDGE STRUCTURE AND EXPAND THE CURRENT CAPACITY FROM TWO TO FOUR TRACKS FOR INCREASED INTERCITY AND COMMUTER TRAIN VOLUMEAS WELL AS ACCOMMODATE HIGHER SPEED ACELA SERVICE. INSTALL NEW COMMUNICATION, SIGNALING AND CONTROLS. INSTALL NEW ELECTRIC TRACTION AND INTERLOCKING. PERFORM TRACK CHANGES AND ADDITIONS TO INSTALL UP TO FOUR TRACKS AND INCREASE TRACK SPEEDS BETWEEN GUNPOW AND WOOD INTERLOCKING. RELOCATE RECONFIGURE TRACK AND INTERLOCKINGS BETWEEN AND INCLUDING RIVER AND WOOD INTERLOCKINGS AS NEEDED TO MEET THE PROJECT GOALS. ACQUIRE RIGHT-OF-WAY AND CREATE NEW TRACK ALIGNMENTS AND BRIDGE APPROACHES.THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT WILL RESULT IN IMPROVED STATE OF GOOD REPAIR, CONGESTION RELIEF AND SERVICE RELIABILITY FOR INTERCITY PASSENGER RAILSERVICE ON THE NEC. RAIL SERVICE(S) BENEFITING: ACELA, NORTHEAST CORRIDOR SERVICES, STATE-SUPPORTED, AND LONG DISTANCE SERVICES.