The Portal Bridge is a key component of the larger Gateway Program that includes tunnels under the Hudson River. Fixing the Portal Bridge across the Hackensack River will provide tremendous relief to NJ Transit and Amtrak commuters.
The New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) Board of Directors this week approved a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to construct a new Portal North Bridge, according to a press release from the office of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.
"The FFGA marks the final stage of the Capital Investment Grant process to fund the $1.8 billion new fixed span across the Hackensack River," according to the release. The bridge is a source spot for commuters on the Northeast Corridor, where mechanical issues cause frequent delays on NJ Transit and Amtrak trains. The new Portal North Bridge is a key component in the larger Gateway Program to expand and renovate the Northeast Corridor rail route between New York and New Jersey.
The project will address critical issues plaguing the Portal Bridge by eliminating the bridge's current moveable span, improving reliability, increasing train speeds, and removing conflicts with maritime traffic.
"The new Portal North Bridge is fully designed and fully permitted, having received a Record-of-Decision from the Federal Railroad Administration in 2013, which was adopted by the FTA in August 2017," according to the release.
Amtrak's Achilles Heel, Infrastructurally Speaking
Aging, obsolete, and deteriorating bridges affect both road and rail. The 104-year-old Portal Bridge, a swing bridge over the Hackensack River in New Jersey that frequently fails to close properly, tops Amtrak's list for replacement.
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$1.7 Billion Project to Replace Critical Rail Crossing in New Jersey Underway
New Jersey's 107-year-old Portal Bridge has been a symbol of the region's crumbling rail infrastructure. A $1.7 billion project to replace the bridge, launched this week, is designed to improve the situation.
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British Columbia Asserts Provincial Control Over Density
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Opinion: Surprised by Your Neighborhood’s Walkability Score? Don't Be.
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$14 Billion in Federal Transit Funding Announced
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Philadelphia Mayor Hopefuls Want More Affordable Housing on Vacant Lots
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Why Infrastructure Costs So Much
A new book details what planners already know: cost estimates for major infrastructure projects are usually a farce. Another book foretells just how much new infrastructure will be needed in the coming waves of climate migration.
Heyer Gruel Associates
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Urbanism Next Center at the University of Oregon
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Evanston
City of Lomita
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