Office of the Governor President Biden and Governor Murphy Break Ground on the Portal North Bridge

Corbett said he thinks the project could get done under budget before its intended completion in 2026. “We are transforming the way train travel happens in the U.S., we are creating a level of mobility for New York City rail that has not existed for decades in this country, and that is because of the leadership that has been willing to make that kind of investment,” he said. Portal Bridge stands out with its low fees, speed, and seamless support for multiple blockchains, ensuring the best experience for users and developers. “This is exactly the kind of legacy we think the president should latch on to, and we believe that when the bridge is completely done, we would like to have him here so he can take credit for it, as he rightly should,” Kolluri said.

Design and construction

The engineering challenges addressed include managing the movement of the expansion bearings, which is approximately 62.5 inches every day (one way) for the arches and 31 inches every day (one way) for the approach girders over a minimum 50-year service period. The Portal North Bridge Project is a testament to the importance of investing in modern infrastructure to support the growing demands of the Northeast Corridor. The Gateway Program, of which the Portal North Bridge Project is a part, represents a significant step toward ensuring the long-term sustainability and efficiency of the region’s rail network. The gray hairs that went mostly unmentioned Monday were those of the commuters who must deal with more unpredictable delays and other frustrations of commuting on the busiest stretch of rail in the country — one that has not received the proper investment in recent decades to prevent delays and outages.

Portal Bridge

While Trump was accused of slowing down the Gateway tunnels project to retaliate against then-Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer during his first term, his administration did approve the Portal North Bridge project in 2020. Gov. Phil Murphy also increased the local funding pledge for the bridge to $600 million, using 30-year bonds that would be repaid by the state Transportation Trust Fund. “Most of infrastructure, when it’s doing its job, people don’t know about it,” Gardner said. “People know about Portal Bridge because sometimes it gets stuck in the open position, it’s caught on fire a few times — it’s deserved its retirement day for a long time. “There is the construction work with all these assets here and then there’s the cutover, which is the interface of the existing railway — so there’s more work than what you see here that has to happen, and that’s interfacing the existing tracks, switches and signals,” said Stephen Gardner, CEO of Amtrak. “This is not just about moving people through the corridor daily in a safe and reliable manner, but it is about making sure that we have an infrastructure worthy of the 21st century,” Kolluri said. Roughly 450 trains cross the old Portal Bridge daily, carrying some 200,000 Amtrak and NJ Transit riders over the Hackensack River.

First arch installed for new Portal Bridge; trains expected to cross in spring 2026

Built in 1910, the existingPortal Bridge is a two-track moveable swing span over the Hackensack River, anda critical link in the 10 mile stretch taking trains into and out of New York.This bridge, like the North River Tunnel, is a key choke point along theNortheast Corridor, and is in dire need of replacement. Once the infrastructure bill is enacted, we will have more than enough money to fully fund these projects. I applaud President Biden and Gov. Murphy on highlighting this project that is key to the future of our states, our region, and the entire country’s economic well-being.

Restoring the George: Revitalizing the Iconic George Washington Bridge

By the 2000s, the Portal Bridge train speeds were limited to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h). Furthermore, the main river spans feature bearings will undergo rigorous testing at RJW facilities to ensure they can withstand up to 150% of their designed service load, over 9 million pounds. This testing is indicative of the project’s commitment to safety and durability, setting a new standard for infrastructure projects in the region.

• A few years ago, the world of decentralized apps (dApps) and tokens was all about the Ethereum platform.
• KEARNY — Riders on one of the more than 450 trains that cross the Portal Bridge on any given day can now see the third and final arch pressed into place on the structure that will replace the decrepit swing-span bridge.
• R.J. Watson is leading the way in the transformative Portal North Bridge project in New Jersey, which represents a monumental shift from the century-old Portal Bridge to a state-of-the-art infrastructure solution.
• Five NJ Transit rail lines (Northeast Corridor Line, North Jersey Coast Line, Morris and Essex Lines, Montclair-Boonton Line, and Raritan Valley Line) with 388 trains use the bridge each weekday in both directions.

Portal Bridge’s Future: New Chains and Features Coming Soon

“This is exactly the kind of legacy we think the president should latch onto. And we believe that when the bridge is completely done, we would like to have him here so he can take credit for this, as he rightly should,” Kolluri said. “This is one component. You’re right. Lots more to do. You don’t overcome 50 years of deferred investment in two, right? It’s a long-term program to rebuild the railway to 21st century standards,” Gardner said. Book your train and bus tickets today by choosing from over 30 U.S. train routes and 500 destinations in North America. Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT continue to advance project construction and achieved 75% completion in Fall 2024 when the the first of three arches were delivered to the project site and installed.

Portal North Bridge’s third and final arch is now in place. It’s a major milestone in the project.

Only 23 feet of clearance separate the Hackensack River and the bottom of the bridge. The Portal North Bridge project is an important initial element of the broader Gateway Program which will eventually double rail capacity between Newark and New York. The project will eliminate the existing 110-year-old swing bridge which has been the enduring source of major service disruptions for NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak customers traveling on the Northeast Corridor. Earlier this month, Governor Murphy and NJ TRANSIT Board Members announced the approval of a $1,559,993,000 construction contract for the Portal North Bridge.

• The Portal North Bridge will replace the outdated swing bridge with a modern, high-level fixed span that does not open or close, thereby eliminating the movable components and the risk of malfunction.
• Earlier this month, Governor Murphy and NJ TRANSIT Board Members announced the approval of a $1,559,993,000 construction contract for the Portal North Bridge.
• The endeavor is not only notable for its size, stretching nearly 2.5 miles including the main and approach spans, but also for its engineering complexity.
• Transfer NFTs between different blockchain networks seamlessly, preserving their value and authenticity through Portal Bridge’s secure infrastructure.
• The bridge earned the name “Portal,” because it leads the Northeast Corridor (NEC) rail line to the “portal” of the North River Tunnel, located just three miles away.
• Much of the credit for the historic levels of investment in transit and rail goes to the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act, the hallmark $1.2 trillion funding package of President Joe Biden’s administration.

Restoring the George: Revitalizing the Iconic George Washington Bridge

With the support of multiple blockchains, Portal Bridge offers developers a flexible platform to build decentralized applications (dApps) that require cross-chain interaction. Enjoy the benefit of low transaction fees when using Portal Bridge, making it a cost-effective solution for anyone looking to transfer assets across blockchains. The Wormhole protocol ensures Portal Bridge operates smoothly, with decentralized security that guarantees the safety of your transactions across supported chains.

Wormhole Integration: The Core of Portal Bridge

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the bridge carried more than 450 daily Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT trains and 200,000 daily passengers over the Hackensack River – a critical link in the congested territory between Newark, New Jersey and Penn Station, New York. This two-track, moveable swing span is a major bottleneck and source of delays, particularly when the aging bridge malfunctions during opening and closing for maritime traffic. The Portal North Bridge project spans 2.44 miles of the Northeast Corridor line and includes construction of retaining walls, deep foundations, concrete piers, structural steel bridge spans, rail systems, demolition of the existing bridge, and related incidental works. The new bridge is a modern two-track, high-level, fixed-span bridge that will improve service and capacity along this section of the Northeast Corridor.

Making BridgesBetter

• These trains are often delayed at the Portal Bridge—the agingmechanical & electrical components sometimes malfunction while opening andclosing, causing a cascade of delays.
• Skanska/Traylor Bros Joint Venture of Queens, New York was deemed the lowest responsible and responsive bidder.
• The existing bridge is a major bottleneck and source of delays to both NJ Transit and Amtrak due to its aging mechanical and electrical components.
• The gray hairs that went mostly unmentioned Monday were those of the commuters who must deal with more unpredictable delays and other frustrations of commuting on the busiest stretch of rail in the country — one that has not received the proper investment in recent decades to prevent delays and outages.
• “This is exactly the kind of legacy we think the president should latch onto. And we believe that when the bridge is completely done, we would like to have him here so he can take credit for this, as he rightly should,” Kolluri said.
• The largest award in NJ TRANSIT’s history, this monumental step exemplifies the Murphy Administration’s commitment to funding critical infrastructure and providing investments that will benefit current and future generations of New Jerseyans.
• In January 2021, Governor Murphy announced the signing of a Full Funding Grant Agreement which secured $766.5 million in Federal Transit Administration funding to support the project’s construction.

In May, NJ TRANSIT pre-qualified four bidders and conducted a pre-bid conference and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise outreach. Skanska/Traylor Bros Joint Venture of Queens, New York was deemed the lowest responsible and responsive bidder. Also in January 2021, NJ TRANSIT advertised the Invitation for Bid (IFB) for the construction contract. The Portal North Bridge project is a testament to the collaborative effort between public entities and private companies, with significant funding from both federal and state sources, including a substantial $766.5 million from the Federal Transit Administration. Watson’s pivotal role in enhancing transportation infrastructure, promising a future of more dependable and efficient travel in the Northeast Corridor.

• The Portal North Bridge project is a testament to the collaborative effort between public entities and private companies, with significant funding from both federal and state sources, including a substantial $766.5 million from the Federal Transit Administration.
• The largest award in NJ TRANSIT’s history, this monumental step exemplifies the Murphy Administration’s commitment to funding critical infrastructure and providing investments that will benefit current and future generations of New Jerseyans.
• The Portal North Bridge Project is a testament to the importance of investing in modern infrastructure to support the growing demands of the Northeast Corridor.
• The new bridge is part of the broader Gateway Program that will eventually double rail capacity between Newark and New York.
• The new bridge will rise 50-feet over the river and, including the approaches, span nearly 2.5 miles of the Northeast Corridor.
• The two-track, moveable span is a major bottleneck and source of delay, particularly when the aging bridge malfunctions during opening and closing for maritime traffic.

The two-track, moveable span is a major bottleneck and source of delay, particularly when the aging bridge malfunctions during opening and closing for maritime traffic. “For hundreds of thousands of New Jersey’s daily rail commuters, travel has been dictated by the limitations of aging infrastructure. However, the arrival of one of the Portal North Bridge’s three arches marks a significant step toward upgrading this vital section of the Northeast Corridor,” Senator Cory Booker said. The Portal Bridge, also known as the “Portal,” was opened in 1910 by the Pennsylvania Railroad to allow maritime traffic to pass through by swinging open its middle span. However, this functionality has led to frequent malfunctions and delays, especially given the bridge’s age and fragility. At times, rail engineers have had to use a sledgehammer to nudge the bridge closed.

“An important milestone”

The new bridge is a modern two track, high level, fixed-span bridge that will improve service and capacity along this section of the Northeast Corridor. Rail service is currently at capacity, having grown from 40,000 daily passengers in 2005[15] to 150,000 to 200,000 daily passengers in 2015[2][3] on approximately 450 daily trains[1] for Amtrak and New Jersey Transit. Opened in November 1910,[3] the bridge was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad in conjunction with service to the newly constructed Pennsylvania Station in New York City. The average bridge clearance of 20 feet (6.1 m) (depending on the tide) requires it to swing open to allow maritime traffic to pass underneath it.

“Today marks an important milestone for the Gateway Program with the arrival of a new arch that will help replace the century old Portal North Bridge,” Governor Phil Murphy said. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy were among a large contingent of federal, state, local, and transportation officials on hand Monday, Aug. 1, for groundbreaking for the Portal North Bridge. The new structure will replace the 112-year-old, often-unreliable swing bridge over the Hackensack River on the Northeast Corridor, said to be the nation’s busiest rail bridge. The swing span and special “miter rail” configuration pose maintenance and operational challenges. Due to age and fragility, trains are restricted to a maximum of 60 miles per hour over the bridge.

The new bridge is part of the broader Gateway Program that will eventually double rail capacity between Newark and New York. “Because it’s 50 feet over the water, it will not need to be opened. So it will be fixed. So all those issues related to opening and closing the bridge and the unreliability of that will go away,” Amtrak vice president Jaidev Sankar said. The new span will replace the the existing 114-year-old Portal Bridge, which opens for river traffic and often has mechanical issues.

Wormhole Integration: The Core of Portal Bridge

Officials say the new bridge is higher, and will not have to open and close. If you’ve taken the train across the Hackensack River into Manhattan, chances are you’ve been delayed by problems at the Portal Bridge. – The first of three arches for the Portal North Bridge arrived at the construction site in Kearny Tuesday. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. It was because of improved relationships and partnerships between the agencies and assistance from legislative leaders in Washington that they were able to accomplish that and the success of the project so far, Corbett added.

The Portal North Bridge, which is part of the larger Gateway Program, will greatly reduce gridlock caused by critical operation and maintenance issues of the existing 110-year-old swing bridge and improve service, reliability and capacity for rail travel between New Jersey and New York City. A two-track replacement bridge — Portal North — will replace this outdated relic with a modern, high-level fixed span that does not open or close, eliminating the movable components and risk of malfunction. The new bridge will rise more than 50-feet over the river and, including the approaches, span nearly 2.5 miles of the Northeast Corridor. Portal North Bridge is an important element of the broader Gateway Program to double rail capacity between Newark and New York. The existing, century-old Portalbridge was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad and entered revenue service in November 1910. The bridge carries more than 450 daily Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT trains and 200,000 daily passengers over the Hackensack River — a critical link in the congested territory between Newark, NJ and New York – Penn Station.

Portal North Bridge is an important element of the broader Gateway Program that will eventually double rail capacity between Newark and New York. KEARNY – President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Governor Phil Murphy, and federal, state, and local officials today broke ground on the critical Portal North Bridge. The project is finally moving forward after a collaborative effort by the Murphy Administration, the Biden Administration, New Jersey’s Congressional members and Senators, and other key partners, after many years of delays.