Amtrak, NJ Transit progress on Portal North Bridge project

Amtrak and New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) have made progress on the Portal North Bridge project, as Amtrak has begun to “cutover” or transfer one track of rail service from the existing bridge to the new bridge, which will advance long-term reliability and capacity improvements on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) for an improved travel experience. 

Amtrak notes this is the first major bridge cutover project on the NEC. Between installing new track, finalizing the new catenary and testing the signal system, the company says its crews have been working around the clock due to the amount of work that is necessary to connect the new bridge to the existing railroad. 

The new bridge will replace the current 114-year-old swing bridge, which opens for maritime traffic and often has mechanical issues, resulting in service delays. The new bridge is a fixed span that eliminates the need to open and close. 

The project spans 2.44 miles of the NEC line and includes construction of retaining walls, deep foundations, concrete piers, structural steel bridge spans, rail systems, demolition of the existing bridge and related incidental works. The project is a critical component of the larger Gateway Program, which will eventually double rail capacity between Newark and New York.