Gateway Development Commission awards New Jersey Surface Alignment Project contract for Hudson Tunnel Project

The Gateway Development Commission (GDC) awarded the contract for Hudson Tunnel Project Construction Package 3: The New Jersey Surface Alignment to Skanska Creamer Sanzari NJSA JV. The NJ Surface Alignment Project will build approximately 1.5 miles of new infrastructure that will support the tracks connecting the new rail tunnel under the Hudson River to the existing Northeast Corridor. Construction associated with the project is expected to begin this year.

With the award of the NJ Surface Alignment Project, the GDC notes seven of the 10 construction packages that make up the Hudson Tunnel Project are now in progress or completed.  

"The award of the New Jersey Surface Alignment contract marks another major step forward for the most important infrastructure project in America," said New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill. "One of the Hudson Tunnel Project construction packages is complete, and six are now underway, creating tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, generating billions in economic activity for the region and the country and building a reliable and resilient transportation system riders can depend on. The Hudson Tunnel Project will strengthen our infrastructure for generations while proving what is possible when government invests in the future."

In a joint statement, New York GDC Commissioner and Co-Chair Alicia Glen, New Jersey GDC Commissioner and Co-Chair Balpreet Grewal-Virk and GDC Amtrak Commissioner and Vice Chair Tony Coscia said the project is “moving forward quickly, and we can’t afford to lose momentum. That’s why we’re working overtime to award new contracts and keep construction moving efficiently and safely. Last month, we awarded the contract for the section of the new tunnel under the Hudson River. Today we awarded the contract to build the infrastructure that will enable us to integrate the new tunnel into the Northeast Corridor. We don’t have to wait until the tunnel opens to feel the benefits of these contract awards. Both of these new construction projects will create thousands of jobs in addition to the jobs supported by our active projects. We’re committed to delivering this critical project for the workers who are on site every day and everyone else who takes the train into and out of New York City.”

The New Jersey Surface Alignment Project will build 7,540 feet of new infrastructure from County Road in Secaucus to the tunnel portal at Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen, N.J. The GDC notes the infrastructure will enable installation of the future tracks that will connect the new tunnel under the Hudson River to the existing Northeast Corridor tracks in New Jersey. Tracks, signals and other railroad systems will be installed as part of a future construction package.

According to the GDC, the project involves a wide variety of heavy civil design and construction work, including:  

• Building 4,170 feet of retaining walls and installing lightweight concrete fill to create the embankment next to the existing Northeast Corridor tracks where the new train tracks will run.
• Constructing 3,150 feet of viaduct that will carry the new tracks over wetlands in the Meadowlands.
• Building bridges over Secaucus Road and existing Conrail and New York, Susquehanna and Western freight rail tracks.
• Additional infrastructure, including access roads, drainage structures, equipment platforms and stairs.
• Relocating utilities, protecting water and sewer lines and moving an auxiliary signal power substation.

The GDC notes the project's location adds to the complexity, as the NJ Surface Alignment contractor will be working adjacent to active train tracks, which requires extra safety precautions and coordination with railroad operators. The project also involves construction in sections of the New Jersey Meadowlands, which the GDC says that work in these areas must be conducted in compliance with environmental regulations to protect the regional ecosystem of wetlands.

According to the GDC, Skanska Creamer Sanzari NJSA JV was selected following a competitive process and proposal review by an evaluation panel consisting of technical experts and representatives from GDC, the state of New York, New Jersey Transit and Amtrak. The contract price for the project is $711.7 million.

The contract includes seven alternative technical concepts (ATCs) proposed by the contractor during the procurement process. According to the GDC, ATCs are design or construction approaches that incorporate innovative solutions from the private sector that differ from the project’s preliminary design while maintaining all technical, safety and performance requirements. GDC conducted a thorough technical review of the contractor's proposed ATCs and concluded these changes will help reduce costs, minimize environmental impacts and improve long-term maintenance of the infrastructure the project will build.

“Awarding the contract for Package 3: The New Jersey Surface Alignment is another important milestone for the Hudson Tunnel Project and further evidence of the momentum we are building across our construction program,” said GDC CEO Tom Prendergast. “Seven of the construction packages that make up the Hudson Tunnel Project are now in progress or completed, and we are firing on all cylinders at our construction sites in New York and New Jersey. The NJ Surface Alignment Project is a uniquely complex project because of the wide variety of work involved and location. It will require extensive coordination and careful planning. Skanska Creamer Sanzari NJSA JV’s team has a proven track record and the expertise needed to get the job done, and we look forward to working with them to deliver this critical section of the Hudson Tunnel Project.”