NEWARK, NJ — STV joined NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak as the first ceremonial train crossed the new Portal North Bridge, marking a major Gateway Program milestone that improves reliability and resiliency along the Northeast Corridor. STV, serving as construction management joint‑venture partner with AECOM, supported the engineering and fieldwork that enabled this critical phase to advance safely and on schedule.
Replacing a 116-year-old movable swing bridge, the Portal North Bridge eliminates what has long been considered the single most disruptive rail chokepoint in the country. The project is being delivered through the first large-scale live bridge cutover ever attempted on the Northeast Corridor — shifting active Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT service onto a new structure while trains continue to operate. Once fully complete, the high-level, fixed‑span bridge will eliminate conflicts with marine traffic and significantly improve reliability along America’s busiest passenger rail line.
The event marked the completion of the first cutover phase, which shifted westbound service from the existing Portal Bridge to the new fixed‑span structure. Federal, state, and rail leaders joined project partners to recognize the milestone.
“The cutover to the new Portal North Bridge Track 3 strengthens the most heavily traveled corridor in the western hemisphere and reflects what effective teamwork and coordination between numerous public agencies, and disciplined execution can deliver,” said Jim Takacs, Senior Construction Manager at STV. “This milestone unlocks more reliable service for riders today and moves the region closer to the resilient, future‑ready rail network our communities need.”
Amtrak has executed the construction and operational steps needed to transfer rail operations from the existing bridge to the new span over the Hackensack River, advancing long-term reliability improvements for the more than 200,000 daily riders who travel along the corridor.
| Your local Trimble Construction Division dealer |
|---|
| SITECH Allegheny |
| SITECH Northeast |
The bridge’s signature tied‑arch spans — each weighing roughly 5 million pounds — were floated down the Hudson River and lifted into place during carefully choreographed operations rarely seen on an active rail corridor.
While the initial cutover places one track into service on the new bridge, full capacity and operational flexibility will be realized following a second cutover later this year, when both tracks transition to the fixed‑span structure and the original Portal Bridge is permanently retired. The project is funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, New Jersey, New York, and Amtrak.
Across New Jersey and the Northeast, STV helps deliver transportation and community infrastructure that supports regional mobility and long-term growth. Recent projects span the Sawtooth Bridges Replacement, the Palisades Interstate Parkway Rehabilitation, Newark Liberty International Airport Terminal A, and the Glassboro‑Camden Line.
