Portal North Bridge construction is now gearing towards 75% completion. Officials also made it known that the project is still on-schedule and on-budget.
The 50% completion in May
Just 6 months ago, in the start of May, the project was 50% complete. Mike Sherill, the U.S Rep for D-11th District, termed the halfway milestone as the “culmination of years of advocacy”, and that he looked “forward the day we ride together over the completed bridge.” Well, that day is near with the recent staggering progress being witnessed.
Amtrak board Chair Tony Coscia also made comments on the 50% progress terming it a “shining example” for what the project partners’ collaboration and commitment will be testament to – once the new Portal North Bridge is completed.
Official comments about the 75% project milestone are expected once the first Portal North Bridge steel arch reaches its destination in New Jersey; down the Hudson River.
The old and the new Portal North Bridge
The 114-year-old Portal North Bridge carries more than 450 Amtrak and NJ Transit Trains daily, and serves about 200,000 commuters everyday in trips made between New York and New Jersey. Its age and design have led to speed restrictions for New Jersey Transit and Amtrak trains, and its occasional malfunctions cause significant disruptions.
The design causing the disruptions, as mentioned in press releases by the New Jersey Public Transportation Corporation (in conjunction with Amtrak), is the two-track moveable span. This has been especially indicated during the times the bridge opens and closes to allow for passage of maritime traffic.
Major changes are expected to fix this.
The new Portal North Bridge
The now 75% complete replacement project will replace the old design with one that does not open and close. This will see the reduction of use of movable parts for the bridge, and thus effectively reduce the risk of malfunctions.
To ensure that the opening and closing of the bridge is well out-of-the-picture, the new Portal North Bridge will also be raised more than 50 feet over the Hackensaw River. This bridge replacement project will also see to the included 2.5 miles stretch of the Northeast Corridor, from Newark to Secaucus.
Once construction of the new bridge is completed in 2027, it will serve the commuters along the Northeast Corridor with increased train speeds, more carrying capacity – termed “modest” by Amtrak, and improved safety, efficiency and reliability.
The elimination of the movable span of the 144-year-old bridge will also effectively eliminate “conflicts” with river traffic as put by Amtrak.
The 75% completion milestone
The latest milestone in the construction phase of the new Portal North Bridge is the fabrication and delivery of the first Portal North Bridge steel arch. This comes after placement of steel girders was completed.
The steel arch is in transit over the Hudson River, down to New Jersey.
Portal North project partners
Project partners for the Portal North Bridge project include:
- Amtrak
- NJ Transit
- Gateway Development Commission (GDC)
- U.S. DOT Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
- U.S. DOT Federal Transit Administration (FTA)
Portal North project funding
Funds for the project were sourced from:
- Amtrak
- U.S. DOT FTA Capital Investment Grant (CIG) Program
- New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund
- New Jersey Turnpike Authority
The Portal North Bridge Project and The Gateway Program
The Portal Bridge project is part of the first phase of the much larger Gateway Program – an ambitious $16.1 billion investment to upgrade the critical rail link between New Jersey and New York City – Penn Station.
Portal North Bridge is expected to double rail capacity between Newark and New York once in-use.
In addition to this new bridge, the Gateway Program also features a brand new two-track rail tunnel under the Hudson River to complement, and eventually replace the existing century-old tunnel into Manhattan. Overseeing this Herculean effort is the bi-state Gateway Development Commission – a partnership between the two states, and Amtrak.
For daily commuters stuck in the seemingly endless construction along the Northeast Corridor, the Portal Bridge replacement will be completed soon enough. The new high-speed rail crossing over the Hackensack River will help provide a long-awaited upgrade to the outdated infrastructure currently straining to handle this region’s growing transit needs.
Also read: Hudson River rail tunnel project in New York, USA
Critic on the Portal Bridge construction project
Several mentions have been made about the huge price tag and potential traffic nightmares from this project. Supporters of the project say the new bridge will be a game-changer. This has been said for the hundreds-of-thousands of commuters who rely on NJ Transit and Amtrak to get between New Jersey and New York City each day.
The mention of costs and traffic nightmares caused by, and of, the project will however not hold water for a long time. The 75% completion and optimistic outlook will ensure the project pays off.
Brian Reilly, who oversees the bridge construction for Skanska Traylor JV, was characteristically optimistic about the 50% milestone in May. He had the following to say, “Our team thrills at turning this crucial corner on building the new Portal North Bridge. Once we wrap this up, daily commuters and Jersey residents can kiss those maddening bottlenecks and delays goodbye. Smooth sailing from here on out!”
The acting New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ Transit Board Chair Fran O’Connor also remarked positively of the project’s halfway milestone in May. He had the following to say, “This landmark achievement is another milestone on the path of building a modern transit infrastructure linking the entire Northeast Corridor. Congratulations to the men and women on this project who have made this significant progress.”
Also read: The final green light to the $16b Gateway Tunnel Project under Hudson River
