The new Portal North Bridge project marked a major milestone Nov. 26.

As NJBIZ has reported, the project to replace the current 114-year-old swing bridge is progressing rapidly – about 75% complete. And on Tuesday, Amtrak and NJ Transit officials welcomed the first of three arches to support the new Portal North Bridge.

The project is part of the broader Gateway Program. The effort aims to increase rail capacity and reliability.

The current swing bridge needs to open and close for maritime traffic. However, it often has mechanical issues that results in service delays. The new bridge will rise 50 feet over the Hackensack River. The structure is a fixed span that eliminates that need to open and close. The new design will allow marine traffic to pass underneath without interrupting rail traffic.

The 5 million-pound, 400-foot-long, 50-foot-wide arch took quite a journey to arrive at the Kearny construction site.

The 30-hour trip down the Hudson River began at the Port of Coeymans, near Albany. Then, the journey required three tugboats, a heavy transport barge, as well as a spacer barge to tow the arch, traveling an average of five knots.

“The best way to move massive infrastructure is on water,” said Stephen Kelly, president of sales and business development, Carver Cos. “Serving as the assembly site – and providing delivery by tug and barge – for the Portal North Bridge has been a tremendous source of pride among our crew at Carver Companies, Carver Marine Towing, and Port of Coeymans.”

‘On time and within budget’

“The arrival of the first arch at the Portal North Bridge site marks a major milestone in transforming the Northeast Corridor into a more reliable transit route for tens of thousands of daily commuters,” said NJ Transit President and CEO Kevin Corbett. “Through this project, NJ Transit is proud to demonstrate that, even in the Northeast – where mega-projects have historically faced delays and cost overruns – it is possible to deliver a transformational project on time and within budget.”

“As work continues on the Portal North Bridge, having the first of three arches delivered to the project site is the latest of many milestones that we are proud to celebrate,” said Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner. “This new milestone symbolizes both the great progress taking place on the project and the strong collaboration with our partners at NJ Transit that comes from investments in infrastructure improvements and getting the work done on time, within budget, and safely.”

Working together

Funding for the project comes through a combination of federal and state dollars. In October 2021, Skanska/Traylor Bros PNB Joint Venture (STJV) won the $1.56 billion construction contract for the project. The agreement marks the largest single construction award in NJ Transit’s history.

Today, Kevin Corbett was joined by FTA Region 2 Regional Administrator Michael Culotta and other stakeholders at the new Portal North Bridge. pic.twitter.com/NrJNUaxL5a

— NJ TRANSIT (@NJTRANSIT) November 26, 2024

“Complex infrastructure projects of this scale are only successful through strong partnerships capable of overcoming significant challenges,” said Chris Traylor, co-president of Traylor Bros. Inc. “The collaboration between the Skanska-Traylor JV, NJ Transit, and Amtrak demonstrates what’s possible when innovation and teamwork align.”

“It is a step forward in delivering a modernized structure that will greatly impact the hundreds of thousands of daily commuters and New Jersey residents who rely on this passageway, and the Skanska-Traylor JV is proud to be part of it,” said Michael Viggiano, executive vice president of East Coast civil operations at Skanska.

“Since the inception of this project, our teams have worked diligently to ensure that every aspect of this operation is executed with precision and efficiency,” said Kelly. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with Skanska Traylor JV and delivering exceptional results that will contribute to the growth and enhancement of NJ Transit and Amtrak infrastructure in the Tri-State area.”

‘One step closer’

“Together, we are transforming the Portal North Bridge into an access point that will provide our rail passengers with a more reliable commute, and our entire region with economic opportunity,” said Gov. Phil Murphy. “We are now proudly one step closer to rebuilding our regional infrastructure and assuring that the most important public works project in America continues to move forward.”

The new Portal North Bridge is scheduled to start service by the end of the 2026. The full project, including demolition of the current bridge, is slated for completion in 2027.