NEW YORK, NY — The Gateway Development Commission has awarded the joint venture comprised of Traylor Bros. Inc., Walsh Construction, and Skanska the contract to deliver Package 1C: The Hudson River Tunnel Section, a major component of the Hudson Tunnel Project and the broader Gateway Program.
Package 1C will construct the section of the new passenger rail tunnel tubes beneath the Hudson River between New Jersey and Manhattan. The work includes boring two new parallel, single-track tunnels, each approximately 7,250 feet in length, from the Hudson County Access Shaft in Weehawken, New Jersey, to the 12th Avenue Access Shaft on Manhattan’s West Side. The package also includes tunnel liner and floor installation, construction of nine cross passages connecting the two tunnel tubes, ground stabilization work near the Hudson Bergen Light Rail, and permanent underpinning of the Willow Avenue Bridge.
The new tunnel tubes are part of the Hudson Tunnel Project, which will improve reliability for passenger rail service on the Northeast Corridor by building two new tubes under the Hudson River and rehabilitating the existing North River Tunnel, which has been in service since 1910 and was damaged by Superstorm Sandy. As described by project stakeholders, the Hudson Tunnel Project is the cornerstone of the Gateway Program and one of the most urgent passenger rail infrastructure investments in the United States.
Construction under Package 1C will be performed using custom-built mixed-use tunnel boring machines (TBM) designed for the mixed ground conditions beneath the Hudson River, including weathered rock, soft soil, and stabilized ground. In addition to tunnel boring, the work includes installing precast concrete segmental linings and permanent precast inverts, and complex ground treatment activities in challenging subsurface conditions.
“Being selected for Package 1C is a significant milestone for our joint venture and a responsibility we are proud to undertake,” said Chris Hebert, Vice President, Traylor Bros. Inc. “This is a nationally significant infrastructure project that will improve mobility, strengthen reliability, and support the long-term future of passenger rail service between New Jersey and New York. Together, Traylor, Walsh, and Skanska bring deep experience in complex underground construction, and we look forward to working with the Gateway Development Commission and project stakeholders to safely deliver this critical section of the Hudson Tunnel Project.”
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“Walsh Construction is proud to work alongside Traylor Bros. and Skanska, unifying industry-leading expertise in complex transportation and underground construction,” said Jeff Twidwell, Senior Vice President of Northeast Transportation at Walsh Construction. “Delivering new passenger rail tunnels beneath the Hudson River demands unified leadership, proven technical capability, and a shared commitment to the highest standards of safety and quality. Working closely with the Gateway Development Commission, our team is aligned and prepared to apply this collective expertise to safely and reliably deliver a project that is critical to the region’s rail network.”
“Being selected for the Hudson River Tunnel Section is a testament to our track record and the confidence in our joint venture’s ability to deliver on one of the most complex infrastructure undertakings in the country,” said Keith Chouinard, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Skanska USA Civil. “We bring deep tunneling expertise, disciplined execution, and a relentless focus on safety and performance, and we look forward to working alongside Traylor and Walsh to successfully deliver this critical, high-profile project.”
The Traylor/Walsh/Skanska joint venture brings together complementary expertise in heavy civil and underground construction and extensive experience delivering large, complex transportation infrastructure. Under the contract, the team will execute one of the most technically demanding tunnel packages in the Hudson Tunnel Project, including mixed-use TBM operations, tunnel excavation, segmental lining installation, cross passage construction, and ground improvement in varied and difficult ground conditions.
Work is expected to begin in the coming months following notice to proceed.
