November 26, 2024 (Kearny, NJ) – One of the most important rail commuter projects in the region took another huge step forward and New Jersey Alliance for Action President Jerry Keenan was there to share in the milestone.

Keenan joined other dignitaries, a large contingent of media and officials from Amtrak and NJ Transit to detail progress on the new Portal North Bridge project.

The first of the three massive bridge arches was floated along the Hudson River and the Hackensack River last week, spending 30 hours in transit from where it was built in upstate New York to the Kearny site. That first arch alone weighs 2,500 tons and stands at 400-feet long and 80-feet tall.

During the visit, the press surrounded NJ Transit President Kevin Corbett and Amtrak Vice President of Infrastructure Project Delivery Jaidev Sankar as they spoke about the project and answered questions.

“This is history in the making and evidence of the great things that NJ Transit is doing to benefit people all across the state,” said NJ Alliance for Action President Jerry Keenan.

The new Portal North Bridge is a $1.6 billion ongoing project by the Gateway Program to increase resiliency and capacity along a 10 mile stretch of Northeast Corridor (NEC) rail line. This section of the NEC is currently used by Amtrak and NJ Transit and is the most heavily used passenger rail line in the U.S. The existing Portal Bridge was built in 1910 and is in urgent need of replacement as it is currently a major source of frustration due its frequent breakdowns.

The new Portal North Bridge is targeted to be completed in 2027. It will consist of three arches amounting to a combined length of 1,200 feet and it will sit 50 feet above the river. Travel over this bridge will no longer be impeded by boat traffic.

“Not only will this make a difference for people currently commuting on these trains, but it’s making a big difference for the overall economy. The more people we have comfortable travelling on trains, the less people we have causing traffic jams on our roads, bridges, and highways. So it’s really a win-win for everyone,” Keenan said.

The Alliance for Action is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024. Since 1974, we’ve worked as a non-partisan and non-profit association representing thousands of business, labor, government, utility, education, professional, and other New Jersey leaders. Our mission is to improve New Jersey’s economy through the promotion of environmentally friendly capital construction and infrastructure investment.