RELEASE: Big Day, Gottheimer Marks Major Milestone as Rail Service Begins on New Portal North Bridge — Funding by Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill He Helped Write, Negotiate, and[...]

Above: Gottheimer, Buttigieg, and Sherrill break ground on the Portal North Bridge.

KEARNY, NJ - Today, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) marked a major milestone in the long-awaited Portal North Bridge project as Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT begin shifting rail operations from the 116-year-old aging Portal Bridge to the new Portal North Bridge over the Hackensack River. This project is a key part of the new Gateway Train Tunnel.

Congressman Gottheimer helped secure critical federal funding for the project by helping write, negotiate, and pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, which invests in the Gateway Train Tunnel Project, the Portal North Bridge, and additional major improvements to New Jersey's rail infrastructure.

The new bridge - a key component of the Gateway Train Tunnel Project - will replace the more than century-old swing bridge that has long been a major source of delays along the Northeast Corridor. More than 200,000 NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak riders rely on this critical stretch of track each day to see loved ones, attend doctors' appointments, or commute to work.

"After years of fighting to claw back federal infrastructure dollars for Jersey, we're finally seeing the real results," said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). "The new Portal North Bridge will replace a more than 116-year-old bridge that has caused constant delays and headaches for commuters. This project means faster, more reliable trains, good-paying union jobs, and a stronger economy."

Beginning March 15, regular NJ TRANSIT schedules will resume with eastbound trains operating over the existing bridge and westbound trains running across the new Portal North Bridge during the initial cutover phase. A second phase of work expected in Fall 2026 will allow both tracks to operate on the new bridge, permanently retiring the old structure.

The Portal North Bridge is the first major project completed as part of the broader Gateway Tunnel Project - one of the most significant infrastructure projects in the country, supporting a corridor that 20 percent of the nation's GDP runs through and relies on.

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