The $1,559,993,000 construction contract for the 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. Once construction begins, the construction contract is anticipated to take approximately five and a half years. 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. This initiative is part of the most ambitious project undertaken by NJ TRANSIT to date, aiming to significantly reduce the notorious delays caused by the old bridge’s need to swing open for river traffic, thereby facilitating a more reliable and faster commute between Newark and New York. On October 12, 2021, the NJ Transit board awarded a $1.56 billion construction contract for the new bridge.

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• The project, a critical part of the Gateway Program, will eliminate the critical issues caused by operation and maintenance of the existing swing bridge that have long plagued the most heavily transited portion of the Northeast Corridor.
• The existing Portal Bridge was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad and entered revenue service in November 1910.
• 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 final design and construction.
• The next arch is scheduled to be installed in early 2025, continuing the progress of this transformative project.
• In October 2021, the NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors approved a contract with Skanska/Traylor Bros Joint Venture for the construction of the new Portal North Bridge.
• Watson’s pivotal role in enhancing transportation infrastructure, promising a future of more dependable and efficient travel in the Northeast Corridor.

“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 portal bridge 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.

Portal Bridge for Developers: Building Cross-Chain Apps

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.

Groundbreaking marks start of work to replace New Jersey’s Portal Bridge

Awarded in October 2021, the project is a $1.56 billion design-build effort by the Skanska/Traylor Bros Joint Venture, with design responsibilities handled by Portal Partners, J.V., consisting of Gannett Fleming, HNTB, and Jacobs. 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. The new bridge, comprising three 400-foot-long tied arches over the Hackensack River, will improve 2.44 miles to the Northeast Corridor rail line, benefiting both Amtrak and New Jersey Transit trains. In addition to the Portal North Bridge, the $16 billion Gateway program is currently in construction, in part to build new tunnels with which the tracks to this bridge will ultimately connect. Officials are shepherding a number of other projects that are also in the design and engineering phases, hoping to get to construction as long as there is federal funding available to supplement dollars from New York, New Jersey and Amtrak.

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It will be a taller, fixed-span replacement for the 114-year-old swing span that has been prone to getting stuck in recent years, causing major delays to NJ Transit and Amtrak trains headed in and out of Manhattan. This milestone comes as President Donald Trump’s federal spending cuts and freezes worry officials at all levels of government, especially in transportation, where large capital projects have long lead times and require federal aid. 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. In October 2021, the NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors approved a contract with Skanska/Traylor Bros Joint Venture for the construction of the new Portal North Bridge. The $1,559,993,000 construction contract for the project, the largest award in NJ TRANSIT’s history, 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 Portal North Bridge Project will replace this outdated andincreasingly unreliable structure with a modern, more reliable fixed-spanbridge that is much higher over the water, allowing boats to pass underneathwithout the need to open and close.
• Portal Bridge allows users to easily move tokens and NFTs across multiple blockchains, offering a secure and reliable way to manage assets on different networks.
• Corbett’s gray hair quip Monday was directed at Tony Coscia, chairman of Amtrak’s board, and Kris Kolluri, CEO and president of the Gateway Development Commission.
• 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 final design and construction.
• The hope is the new bridge is structurally complete by February, 2025, with trains rolling over the new bridge by the spring of 2026.
• Watson’s pivotal role in enhancing transportation infrastructure, promising a future of more dependable and efficient travel in the Northeast Corridor.
• 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.

The Benefits of Using Portal Bridge for NFTs

But the entire project itself is about two-thirds complete and remains on time and on budget, with the first set of tracks expected to go live in the second half of 2026. Skanska-Traylor PNB Joint Venture of Queens, New York was deemed the lowest responsible and responsive bidder. A significant aspect of this project is the technical innovation and resilience brought forth by R.J. These are crucial for the operational integrity and longevity of the bridge, handling expansive movements and high loads. The bridge’s design includes 656 high-load multi-rotational disc bearings designed to support vertical loads ranging from 300,000 lbs to 6,000,000 and significant horizontal loads.

Portal North Bridge – Arch Move

KEARNY — Getting to the 50% completion mark on the new $2.3 billion Portal North Bridge — and getting there on time and on budget — required overcoming myriad challenges and, for some, debating who has accrued the most gray hairs. Stay updated with upcoming features and blockchain integrations that will expand the possibilities of Portal Bridge, making it an even more powerful cross-chain tool. Portal Bridge enables decentralized finance (DeFi) applications to function without the limitations of a single blockchain, enhancing liquidity and accessibility. The new bridge wouldn’t have been possible without support from President Trump during his first term. Gardner said work is being done systemwide to try to prevent the same from happening again this year.

Making BridgesBetter

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.

• In May, NJ TRANSIT pre-qualified four bidders and conducted a pre-bid conference and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise outreach.
• The bridge’s limited clearance of only 23 feet above the Hackensack River further restricts train speeds to a maximum of 60 miles per hour.
• “We stand here today at the groundbreaking for the Portal North Bridge because, after a decade of dithering and divisiveness by others, Governor Phil Murphy said ‘damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead’,” said Gateway Development Commission Member Jerry Zaro.
• A new bridge will also permit higher trackspeeds and increased capacity and save millions of dollars in maintenancecosts.
• Portal Bridge stands out with its low fees, speed, and seamless support for multiple blockchains, ensuring the best experience for users and developers.
• 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.

Wormhole Integration: The Core of Portal Bridge

• 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.
• 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 final design and construction.
• Watson’s pivotal role in enhancing transportation infrastructure, promising a future of more dependable and efficient travel in the Northeast Corridor.
• The hope is the new bridge is structurally complete by February, 2025, with trains rolling over the new bridge by the spring of 2026.
• The Portal North Bridge Project will replace this outdated andincreasingly unreliable structure with a modern, more reliable fixed-spanbridge that is much higher over the water, allowing boats to pass underneathwithout the need to open and close.
• The bridge’s design includes 656 high-load multi-rotational disc bearings designed to support vertical loads ranging from 300,000 lbs to 6,000,000 and significant horizontal loads.
• But today, things have changed drastically, and blockchains such as Solana, Binance Smart Chain (BSC), and Polygon are now home to a thriving and growing variety of dApps and passionate communities.
• Portal Bridge allows users to easily move tokens and NFTs across multiple blockchains, offering a secure and reliable way to manage assets on different networks.

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.

Exploring Portal Bridge’s Ecosystem

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.

As the Acelas race up the East Coast, transit officials are touting this project as on time and on budget, at least for now. The hope is the new bridge is structurally complete by February, 2025, with trains rolling over the new bridge by the spring of 2026. With that, 80% of the construction is done on the Portal North Bridge, the $2.3 billion project to replace its 114-year-old, breakdown-prone predecessor.

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

“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.

Making BridgesBetter

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.

The Portal North Bridge Project is a crucial component of the broader Gateway Program, the most important infrastructure project in the country, aimed at improving the reliability, resiliency, and capacity of the Northeast Corridor (NEC) rail line between Newark, New Jersey, and New York City. When completed, The Gateway Program will double rail capacity and enhance service along this heavily trafficked route. Including supporting more one seat rides to New York Penn Station from New Jersey. 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. The existing Portal Bridge was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad and entered revenue service in November 1910.

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.

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.

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

Corbett’s gray hair quip Monday was directed at Tony Coscia, chairman of Amtrak’s board, and Kris Kolluri, CEO and president of the Gateway Development Commission. Learn how to set up your wallet, select assets, and initiate cross-chain transfers with ease using the simple Portal Bridge interface. Portal Bridge is constantly evolving, with future updates planned to expand its functionality and support additional blockchains for even more seamless cross-chain transfers. “This is a great example of a project that President Trump first supported,” said Kris Kolluri, CEO and president of NJ Transit. Many billions of dollars of capital work is needed along the Northeast Corridor — the busiest passenger rail route in North America — which has experienced substantial increases in delays and cancellations as aging wires, signals, power systems and other infrastructure components become increasingly unreliable.

The massive infrastructure investment represents the single largest construction award in NJ TRANSIT’s history and further exemplifies the Murphy Administration’s commitment to funding projects that will help New Jersey continue to grow and prosper for generations to come. “We stand here today at the groundbreaking for the Portal North Bridge because, after a decade of dithering and divisiveness by others, Governor Phil Murphy said ‘damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead’,” said Gateway Development Commission Member Jerry Zaro. 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.