Portal North Bridge opens first track for service

Portal North Bridge is set to enter service on 16 March. On that date, NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak will begin operating the first track. It is part of the new structure in Kearny, New Jersey.

Meanwhile, a ceremonial train crossed the bridge earlier this week. The agencies are moving from the 116-year-old Portal Bridge. That bridge has long caused delays. The second track is due to enter service in the autumn.

Portal North Bridge and Northeast Corridor operations

Also, the ceremonial run featured a locomotive carrying graphics commemorating America’s 250th anniversary.

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill said:

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 travellers who rely on the Northeast Corridor every day. 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.

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At the same time, work began on 13 February. It was to transfer one track from the old Portal Bridge. As previously covered by Railway Supply, that work prompted temporary schedule adjustments. Those changes affected NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak. Normal NJ TRANSIT schedules will resume from 15 March.

In addition, Portal North Bridge is a fixed-span, two-track structure. As NJ TRANSIT notes, it rises 50 feet above the Hackensack River. It allows marine traffic to pass without affecting rail service. The new bridge is replacing the 116-year-old swing bridge. It is also designed to support future growth in rail capacity.

Funding and construction of the Portal Bridge replacement

Amtrak President Roger Harris said:

The Portal North Bridge represents the first major bridge project cutover completed on the Northeast Corridor, and we’re proud to celebrate this tremendous milestone with our partners at NJ TRANSIT, Governor Sherrill, and the US DOT. You’ve heard about the benefits that this new bridge will bring for a more reliable trip, and starting Monday, it’s finally time to start experiencing them.

Separately, the project is funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation. New Jersey, New York and Amtrak also fund it. Also, in January 2021, a Full Funding Grant Agreement secured 766.5 million USD in federal support. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, that funding was secured in January 2021. Later that year, in October, NJ TRANSIT awarded a 1.56 billion USD construction contract. It went to the Skanska/Traylor Bros PNB Joint Venture. It was the largest in its history.

The project spans 2.44 miles of the Northeast Corridor line. It includes construction of retaining walls, concrete piers and structural steel spans. It also includes rail systems and demolition of the old bridge. For example, estimated material quantities include 45 million pounds of steel. They also include 219,000 cubic yards of concrete and more than 185,000 feet of pipe piles. Meanwhile, the existing Portal Bridge is scheduled to be dismantled in 2027.

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