It is part of the CSX RF&P Subdivision and serves freight trains along the eastern seaboard routes, providing a bypass around Union Station.

[7] In 2008, CSX proposed to modify or replace the tunnel to provide room for a second track and sufficient height to allow use of double-stack freight cars and autoracks.

[12] CSX released its Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Virginia Avenue Tunnel project in July 2013.

[13] During the comment period, many local residents and organizations, including Casey Trees, the Capitol Hill Restoration Society (CHRS),[14] the Sierra Club, and the Committee of 100 on the Federal City, expressed concerns.

"[16] Though CSX stated that it planned to use a cut-and-cover method to maintain rail and road traffic during construction, neighbors were concerned because it would necessitate partial closures of Virginia Avenue for three years.

[17][18] Opponents of the new tunnels also accused CSX, DDOT, and FHWA of rushing the project without properly addressing local concerns or exploring alternative options.

Congressional Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton requested an expedited release of the FEIS in April 2014 to resolve the ongoing issue.

[19][20] The FHWA released the 2,639-page FEIS on June 13, 2014,[13] which favored renovating and replacing the existing tunnel rather than rerouting trains through new lines in Southern Maryland.