Portal North Bridge Enters Final Phase of Construction as Work Begins to Put Final Track Into Service

Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT Begin Final “Cutover” Work to Transfer Service to New Portal North Bridge and Announce Temporary Service Changes to Accommodate Work.

NEWARK, NJ — Beginning October 9, Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT will perform critical work to transfer the final track from the 116-old Portal Bridge to the new Portal North Bridge over the Hackensack River. Once complete, rail operations will resume in full service over the new bridge, retiring the old bridge. The work is essential to advancing long-term reliability and capacity improvements on the Northeast Corridor.

While the transfer, or “Cutover,” of Amtrak-owned wires and electrical systems will ultimately deliver substantial benefits, it means customers will experience temporary adjustments to rail service beginning on Sunday, October 11 and continuing for approximately five weeks.

Amtrak is utilizing the reduced-traffic opportunity to perform eight additional critical maintenance projects across the Northeast Corridor, in six states and Washington, DC.

Regular schedules are expected to resume on Sunday, November 15 – subject to the completion of safety testing.

NJ TRANSIT worked closely with Amtrak and regional partners to develop a customer-focused service plan prioritizing capacity, continuity and safety.

“As we enter this second and final Cutover for Portal North Bridge, we’re building on the success of the first one, to deliver tangible results and benefits to New Jersey visitors and residents,” said Amtrak Interim President Byl Herrmann. “After the success of the first Cutover, we followed that up with outstanding service during the World Cup, and we are going to conclude the third major event for us this year on a high note with the second Cutover the same way by proving what this joint team can accomplish when we work together.”

“Five weeks of adjusted schedules will deliver a modern, high-level bridge that ends a century of swing-bridge delays for customers traveling the Northeast Corridor to and from New York,” said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kris Kolluri. “We worked closely with Amtrak on a service plan that maximizes capacity and keeps every rail line running, and we thank our customers for their patience as we complete the final step of this long-awaited project.”

NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak leveraged three core principles in developing its service plan, minimizing impacts to customers to the greatest extent possible, while contending with the operational realities during the cutover period.

• Maximizing Capacity and Seat Availability
• Maintaining Service on All Rail Lines
• Upholding the Highest Standards of Safety

While disruptive in the short term, these temporary service adjustments are necessary to ensure a safe and successful transition to the new bridge infrastructure.

The new updated modern, high-level fixed span bridge that will make future Amtrak and commuter trips more reliable, safer and smoother with increased service and train speeds. Thanks to a strong partnership between Amtrak and NJT, the project remains on schedule and on budget. You can learn more about the project at: Amtraknewera.com/gateway/pnb/ for more information.

On Thursday, Sept. 17, Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT made the following presentation to members of the press to talk about the work and the service plan.