NJ Transit, Amtrak host inaugural ride on new Portal North bridge ahead of launch

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill and members of both New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) and Amtrak took the inaugural train ride across the new Portal North Bridge in Kearny, N.J., which is set to have one track go into passenger service on March 16. 

This marks the transferring of service from the current 116-year-old swing bridge. The second and final track will be moved onto the new bridge in the fall, providing increased reliability to rail customers that utilize the route.

“Today marks a historic step forward for New Jersey’s transportation future. For decades, the old Portal Bridge has been a source of delays and frustration for the hundreds of thousands of commuters and travelers who rely on the Northeast Corridor every day,” Gov. Sherrill said. “With the first train now crossing the new Portal North Bridge, we are delivering a modern, reliable piece of infrastructure that will strengthen our economy, improve the daily commute and support the entire Northeast Corridor.”

The Portal North Bridge is a new two-track, high-level, fixed-span bridge that the agency says will improve service and capacity along this section of the Northeast Corridor. The new Portal North Bridge will rise 50 feet over the Hackensack River, doubling the height clearance and will allow marine traffic to pass underneath without interrupting rail traffic with raises like the old bridge required.

Crews from both NJ Transit and Amtrak began the work to transfer one track of rail service from the old Portal Bridge to the new Portal North Bridge. The work required temporary service adjustments to NJ Transit and Amtrak schedules. 

“The old Portal Bridge was completed just a few months after Mother Theresa was born. Infrastructure that old creates delays, delays ruin birthday parties, preclude family dinners and create stress for someone just trying to get home after a long day at work. The growth of New Jersey relies on finishing projects like the Portal Bridge and the Gateway Tunnel. Because New Jersey will only keep growing if we keep moving,” said Congresswoman Nellie Pou (D-NJ-9).

The project is being funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the states of New Jersey and New York, as well as Amtrak. In January 2021, former New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced the signing of a Full Funding Grant Agreement which secured $766.5 million in Federal Transit Administration funding to support the project’s construction.

In October 2021, Murphy and NJ Transit announced the approval of a $1.6 million construction contract awarded to Skanska/Traylor Bros PNB Joint Venture (STJV) for the construction of the new Portal North Bridge. The agency says the contract represents the single largest construction award in NJ Transit history.

“This is a major milestone. After years of fighting to claw back federal infrastructure dollars for Jersey, we’re finally seeing the results,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5). “The new Portal North Bridge will replace a more than 116-year-old bridge held together with band-aids that's caused constant delays and headaches for commuters. This project means faster, more reliable trains, good-paying union jobs and a stronger economy.”

The Portal North Bridge project spans 2.44 miles of the Northeast Corridor 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 agency says the project is a critical component of the larger Gateway Program, which will eventually double rail capacity between Newark and New York.

“The segment of the Northeast Corridor between Newark and New York is the busiest stretch of rail in the country, carrying more than 400 trains and 200-thousand NJ Transit and Amtrak riders every weekday,” said NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri. “The first train over the new Portal North Bridge marks a major milestone toward completing one of the most consequential infrastructure projects in the nation and delivering the reliability our customers expect and deserve.”

Regular NJ Transit schedules are set to resume on March 15.