Hudson Tunnel Project contract awarded by the Gateway Development Commission will advance the New Jersey approach to the future rail tunnel. The $711.7 million package will connect the project with the Northeast Corridor.

Hudson Tunnel Project contract advances NJ works
Photo: Gateway Development Commission

Hudson Tunnel Project contract covers New Jersey alignment

The contract covers Construction Package 3: The New Jersey Surface Alignment. At the commission’s June 1 meeting, the package was awarded to the Skanska Creamer Sanzari NJSA joint venture.

The work includes about 1.5 miles of infrastructure on the New Jersey side of the Hudson Tunnel Project. Construction is expected to begin this year, with the package focused on linking the tunnel to the existing Northeast Corridor rail line.

GDC CEO Tom Prendergast described the award as another important step for the construction program. He said seven Hudson Tunnel Project construction packages are now either in progress or completed, with active worksites in New York and New Jersey.

New Jersey Surface Alignment adds bridges and viaducts

The New Jersey Surface Alignment package brings together several major civil engineering works. Crews will build 4,170 feet of retaining walls and place concrete fill, creating an embankment for new rail lines alongside the Northeast Corridor.

The package also includes 3,150 feet of viaduct so the new tracks can cross wetlands. Bridges will be built over Secaucus Road and over rail lines used by Conrail and the New York, Susquehanna & Western.

The remaining scope covers access roads, equipment platforms, utility relocation or protection, and the relocation of an auxiliary signal power substation. Taken together, these works form the surface approach that will connect the future tunnel with existing rail infrastructure.

Balpreet Grewal-Virk, New Jersey GDC commissioner and co-chair; Alecia Clen, New York GDC commissioner and co-chair; and Tony Coscia, GDC Amtrak commissioner and vice chair, said the benefits would be felt before the tunnel opens. They said the new construction projects would create thousands of jobs, alongside employment already supported by active works.

The officials also said the commission remains committed to delivering the project for workers on site and for passengers traveling by train into and out of New York City.

GDC board confirms legal and compliance appointments

The board also approved two senior appointments at the Gateway Development Commission. John W. Bartlett was named GDC general counsel, while Maria C. Anderson was appointed chief ethics and compliance officer and board secretary.

Bartlett will oversee legal matters connected with the Hudson Tunnel Project contract and advise the commission’s board and leadership on legal and regulatory issues. He has been a partner at Murphy Orlando LLC since 2012 and has served as a Passaic County Commissioner since 2013. He will leave that county role before joining GDC.

Anderson joined the commission in January 2024 as deputy general counsel and has served as acting general counsel since August 2024. Her new position covers compliance with the commission’s enabling legislation, policies and code of conduct. She will also manage board governance and administration, while leading ethics and compliance functions she had already handled in an acting capacity.