NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak are replacing the 116-year-old Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River in Kearny, New Jersey with a taller bridge that does not have to open and close for river traffic.

The existing, 116-year-old Portal Bridge 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, a critical link in the congested territory between Newark, NJ and New York Penn Station. 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.

A two-track replacement bridge – Portal North – has been constructed and will replace this outdated relic with a modern, high-level fixed span that does not open or close, eliminating the movable components and risk of malfunction.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 rises more than 50-feet over the river and, including the approaches, spans 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.

One track of the new Portal North Bridge is currently in service along with one track of the old Portal Bridge. The second and final track will be moved onto the new bridge in the fall, providing increased reliability to rail customers for generations to come.

The Portal North Bridge’s first track entering service represents the first major bridge project cutover completed on the Northeast Corridor, and Amtrak is proud to celebrate this tremendous milestone with our partners at NJ TRANSIT and the U.S. Department of Transportation.