During its Dec. 11 meeting, the NJ Transit board of directors awarded a $444.4 million contract to Skanska Koch Inc. for construction of the new Raritan River Bridge on the North Jersey Coast Line (NJCL).

The award marks the second construction contract encompassing the lift portion of the project. The bridge spans the Raritan River between Perth Amboy and South Amboy. In June 2020, a separate contract was awarded for construction of the approaches.

The new vertical lift bridge will provide a two-track movable span across the Raritan River, linking back to the existing NJCL mainline tracks at its northern and southern ends.

The current bridge has been in service since 1908. The movable swing-span bridge serves as the sole rail link for 17 of the 20 NJCL stations to connect Newark and Manhattan.

Noting the damage suffered during Superstorm Sandy, which underwent repaired and is still safe for travel, officials stress the vulnerability of the bridge to significant weather events.

The contract awarded to Carteret-based Skanska Koch includes construction of the lift bridge and flanking spans, communication signals, overheard catenary and other associated site work.

“Today’s Board authorization advances one of NJ Transit’s most critical resiliency projects, ensuring a more reliable and robust rail link for thousands of daily customers on the North Jersey Coast Line,” said outgoing NJ Transit President and CEO Kevin Corbett. “The new Raritan River Bridge will replace a century-old structure, significantly enhancing both operational efficiency and our preparedness for extreme weather events.”

In case you missed it:

Following a 30-hour journey down the Hudson River, the first of three massive arches to support the new Portal North Bridge arrived at the construction site Nov. 26. See it here >>