PORTAL NORTH BRIDGE ENTERS FINAL PHASE OF CONSTRUCTION AS WORK BEGINS TO PUT FIRST TRACK INTO SERVICE

Amtrak Begins “Cutover” Work to Transfer One Track Onto New Portal North Bridge; NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak Announce Temporary Service Changes to Accommodate Work.

January 15, 2026

 

NEWARK, NJ — Beginning February 13, Amtrak will perform critical work to transfer one track of rail service from the century-old Portal Bridge to the new Portal North Bridge over the Hackensack River. A major milestone in the Gateway Program, the work is essential to advancing long-term reliability and capacity improvements on the Northeast Corridor.

A picture containing text, sky, outdoor, water AI-generated content may be incorrect.While the transfer, or “cut over,” of Amtrak-owned wires and electrical systems will ultimately deliver substantial benefits, it means customers on all rail lines except the Atlantic City Rail Line will experience temporary adjustments to rail service beginning on Sunday, February 15 and continuing for approximately four weeks. Expect modified train schedules to include some train consolidations or cancellations, and others with changed departure times and/or stopping patterns. 

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

The adjusted schedules, released today, go into effect on Sunday, February 15. (View adjusted schedules, as well as links to alternate public transportation options by rail line at njtransit.com/portalcutover, or by clickingHERE).

 

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

 

“We understand that this work will disrupt the way our customers travel during the cutover period, which is why every element of our service plan was designed to keep people moving as safely and efficiently as possible,” said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kris Kolluri. “While the disruption is temporary, the benefits—including a far more reliable and resilient commute along the Northeast Corridor—will last for generations.”

 

“The cutover of the Portal North Bridge represents more than just work to connect railroad infrastructure; it signifies a whole new level of reliability on the Northeast Corridor and New Jersey that has never previously existed,” said Amtrak President Roger Harris. “In just a few short weeks, we will reward the patience of Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT customers by helping eliminate a cause of long delays and unreliable commutes.”

 

All NJ TRANSIT rail customers (except Atlantic City Rail Line) are strongly encouraged to view the temporary schedules at njtransit.com/portalcutover as all lines (except ACRL) will experience modifications to their regular schedules.

 

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.

 

ATTN: Midtown Direct Customers 

Weekday Midtown Direct trains on the Morris & Essex (M&E), Gladstone Branch and Montclair-Boonton Line will be diverted to Hoboken. Weekend Midtown Direct trains will operate to/from PSNY.

 

  • Midtown Direct customers on the M&E, Gladstone Branch and Montclair-Boonton Line should purchase tickets/passes with a destination of Hoboken in lieu of New York. For Midtown Direct customers with Hoboken as a destination on their tickets/passes, the following options will be available for travel between Hoboken and Midtown Manhattan:

    • Cross-honoring with NY Waterway ferries will be in effect on weekdays between Hoboken Terminal and W. 39th St. in Midtown Manhattan

      • Ferry service to Midtown Manhattan will be enhanced during the morning and evening peak periods

    • Cross-honoring will be in effect with PATH at Hoboken and 33rd Street only.

    • NJ TRANSIT’s 126 bus to/from PABT

 

Travel Advice:

 

Portal North Bridge – Project Background

The Portal North Bridge is a new modern two-track, high-level, fixed-span bridge that will improve service and capacity along this section of the Northeast Corridor. The new Portal North Bridge will rise 50 feet over the Hackensack River, doubling the height clearance and will allow marine traffic to pass underneath without interrupting rail traffic.

 

The project eliminates the 114-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. The new bridge will provide:

  • Improved reliability and fewer bridge-related delays

  • Increased operational resilience along the Northeast Corridor

  • A modern structure designed to support future capacity growth

 

Once complete, eastbound service to New York will resume on the original bridge and westbound service leaving New York will use the new bridge. A second phase of cutover work is expected in Fall 2026, which will complete the transition. Once both tracks are in-service on the new bridge, the original bridge will be permanently removed from service and the new bridge will accommodate all traffic.

 

The project is being funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, New Jersey, New York, and Amtrak. 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 October 2021, Governor Murphy and NJ TRANSIT announced the approval of a $1,559,993,000 construction contract awarded to Skanska/Traylor Bros PNB Joint Venture (STJV) for the construction of the new Portal North Bridge. The contract represents the single largest construction award in NJ TRANSIT’s history.

 

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 project is a critical component of the larger Gateway Program, which will eventually double rail capacity between Newark and New York.

 

About NJ TRANSIT

NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 925,000 weekday trips on 264 bus routes, three light rail lines, 12 commuter rail lines and through Access Link paratransit service. It is the third largest transit system in the country with 165 rail stations, 62 light rail stations and more than 19,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia.

       

 

This document and others are available for translation on njtransit.com.