NJ Transit Awards Record $1.6 Billion to Replace Portal Bridge

(Bloomberg) -- New Jersey Transit approved a $1.6 billion contract, the largest award in its history, for the long-awaited construction of a new Portal North Bridge.

The project will replace the more-than-century-old span over the Hackensack River that is key to passenger rail in the U.S. Northeast. The current bridge is designed to swing open for river traffic, delaying trains for thousands of commuters.

Construction was awarded to Skanska/Traylor Bros Joint Venture of Queens, New York, according to a statement from the governor’s office. Work will take about 5 1/2 years. The project is being funded by the U.S. Transportation Department, Amtrak and NJ Transit.

The Portal Bridge replacement is part of the $12.3 billion Gateway project, which was stalled under former President Donald Trump. Gateway will build a new tunnel under the Hudson River and then rehabilitate the existing one, which serves Amtrak and NJ Transit trains. The Northeast Corridor serves more than 800,000 passenger trips a day between Boston and Washington, D.C.

The project is moving forward under President Joseph Biden’s administration, which gave environmental clearance in May, the project’s biggest step forward in years.

NJ Transit sought bids for the Portal Bridge project in January, and pre-qualified four bidders in May. Two companies submitted proposals on Sept. 2.

The new fixed-span bridge will be 50 feet (15.2 meters) high, allowing marine traffic to pass underneath without stopping trains.

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