A group of state leaders and officials gathered Tuesday in Perth Amboy to mark the next phase of the Raritan River Bridge replacement project.

The more than $440 million project replaces the current bridge on the North Jersey Coast Line, which has been in service since 1908.

“Today, we are coming together in support of our shared mission to build a world-class transportation system, supported by safe, state-of-the-art, and reliable infrastructure,” said Gov. Phil Murphy. “By breaking ground on the next phase of the Raritan River Bridge, we are one step closer to improving reliability and allowing trains to ross the river at much faster speeds.”

Key things to know:

• Kicks off construction and installation of the center span that lifts vertically – replacing the current swing bridge
• Connects rail traffic between Perth Amboy and South Amboy
• Current bridge suffered significant damage during Superstorm Sandy
• Construction contract awarded to Skanska Koch
• Awarded under a separate contract in June 2020, approaches to the new bridge are nearing completion
• Overall replacement project funded in part through a more than $446 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA)

NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri said, “Breaking ground on the lift span of the new Raritan River Bridge brings us another step closer to a more modern and resilient transportation network. This significant investment is a testament to our broader strategy and commitment to modernize all of our aging infrastructure that ensures continued reliability and connectivity for our customers.”

“Today’s groundbreaking marks a major milestone in NJ Transit’s commitment to delivering safe, reliable and resilient infrastructure for the people of New Jersey,” said Fran O’Connor, New Jersey Department of Transportation commissioner and NJ Transit board chair. “The new Raritan River Bridge will not only strengthen a critical transportation link along the North Jersey Coast Line – but also safeguard this essential corridor against future extreme weather events.”