NJ Transit Portal Bridge Replacement OK'd To Begin

SECAUCUS, NJ — On Thursday, Gov. Phil Murphy and NJ Transit announced the “Notice to Proceed” has been granted for NJ Transit to begin construction on the new Portal North Bridge replacement.

The portal bridge is the 110-year-old swing bridge that spans the Hackensack River from Secaucus to Kearny.

The bridge is used by hundreds of NJ Transit and Amtrak trains every day, and when it breaks — which happens somewhat regularly — it is a major cause for train delays on the Northeast Corridor line.

NJ Transit plans to tear down the existing 110-year-old swing bridge and replace it with a new two-track, high-level, fixed-span bridge. The new Portal North Bridge will rise 50 feet over the Hackensack River and will allow marine boat traffic to pass underneath without interrupting rail traffic.

The project is anticipated to take approximately five and a half years to complete. Previously on Patch: Good News For One Of NJ's Most Hated Crossings: Portal Bridge

Replacing the portal bridge is a major goal of Gov. Murphy's. It is also a key part of the larger Gateway Project — strongly backed by Murphy and President Joe Biden and previously nixed by Trump and Christie when he was in office — which will allow more trains to access New York City from New Jersey.

The Gateway Program which will eventually double the rail capacity between Newark and New York City.

In October, Skanska/Traylor Bros PNB Joint Venture (STJV) was given the $1,559,993,000 construction contract to replace the portal bridge. The contract represents the single largest construction award in NJ Transit history.

Get great local news. Sign up for Patch: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com