All Things Portal Bridge: Amtrak and NJT Status and Replacement Discussion

nkloudon wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 12:28 pm >>Per Wikipedia, there was a Hoboken to Penn trip, non-stop. <<

Wikipedia is unverified and written by amateurs. Prior to the recent "waterfront" connection there was no way to connect from the DL&W to the PRR. Even today, such a change required a change of direction. Perhaps the writer had Hoboken confused with Newark?

I retract that whole mess. I thought I read somewhere online where there was a Hoboken to Penn Station run though the PRR tunnel. I can't find the article or site anymore.

Press release from NJT:

NJ Transit wrote:TRENTON – Governor Phil Murphy, alongside Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin Corbett, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, Congressman Tom Malinowski, and Amtrak Board Chair Tony Coscia, today celebrated the finalization of the Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to construct a new Portal North Bridge. NJ TRANSIT CEO and President Kevin Corbett executed the agreement with the FTA today, which will provide $766.5 million dollars in federal funding for the Portal North Bridge.
…
The replacement, which will be preliminarily owned by NJ TRANSIT and maintained by Amtrak, is designed as a high-level, fixed span bridge that will allow marine traffic to pass underneath without interrupting rail traffic. Once full construction begins, the remainder of the Portal North Bridge Project is estimated to take approximately five years.

To help fund the project, the FTA will provide $766.5 million through the Section 5309 Capital Investment Grants Program and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will provide $57.1 million through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program. The remainder will be allocated by New Jersey’s local share of $811 million and Amtrak’s obligation of $261.5 million. The FFGA also includes financing for 25 new multilevel rail cars to further increase capacity. The rail cars are options on NJ TRANSIT’s existing order of 113 new multilevel cars.

preliminarily owned by NJ TRANSIT

Does that mean that ownership will be transferred, after a certain time?

I really hope that with all the possible funds going to Amtrak that the present Portal bridge swing bridge can remain in service until Portal South is complete in service. The extra funds could be used to 4 track from the proposed Gateway merge to Newark Penn station. That IMHO would enable that section to become somewhat more fluid. I could see an Acela-2 being able to pass a NJT slower commuter train that way. And if the bridge get stuck the new bridge could at least carry the traffic.

The 4 tracking does need the underpass revisions from Hoboken to be completed. Another reason for the 4 tracking.

SRich wrote: ↑Fri Apr 02, 2021 1:43 am

preliminarily owned by NJ TRANSIT

Does that mean that ownership will be transferred, after a certain time?

It is my understanding that New Jersey is the administrator of the project. Hence it will own it. After completion the expectation is that the bridge operating and maintenance responsibility for the bridge will be transferred to Amtrak. That makes sense from the point of view of a single entity being responsible for all rail O&M of the NEC in NJ.

This could be part of an acceptance and inspection process by Amtrak. They get to go over it with a fine tooth comb and won't take delivery until they consider construction acceptable. Smart move on their part (if true).

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What is the present status of construction on the bridge ? As well how is the work on the NJ underpass from Hoboken coming along ? Has it even been contracted ?. I forge its name.

west point wrote: ↑Mon Apr 05, 2021 9:23 am What is the present status of construction on the bridge ? As well how is the work on the NJ underpass from Hoboken coming along ? Has it even been contracted ?. I forge its name.

NJT’s procurement calendar is wide open and shows you which contracts have and haven’t been awarded. There’s no underpass work planned as part of this replacement and never was.

https://www.nj.com/traffic/2021/10/mome ... ridge.html
$1.56 Billion contract to "Skanska Traylor PNB JV"
1st track Nov. 2025 (only 4 years)
Last (2nd?) track July 2026 (I actually forget how many tracks it is, I think just 2)
Full completion 2027.

I forget who is paying what. Can someone fill us in how the $1.56B breaks out?
JS
EDIT: there are some funding numbers at the end of the article I missed when I first posted. They don't quite add up, and one sentence says NJ is paying $611M and another $800M. That goes with $57M Federal Highway funds, $766M Federal funds, and Amtrak $261M.

Was that 2025 or 2525?

Yeah it's just two tracks, but progress nonetheless.

As far as funding: NJ raised its share to 600M in June 2019. Taking the numbers from the "full funding agreement", which came in January of this year and appears to have included even more money from NJ, adds up to 1.896M. even adding the 5% contingency to the 1.559M number, it doesn't get that high.

I think I know what's going on though. The contract is being awarded by NJT for the funds coming from NJT and the feds. That corresponds to 1.634M, which is 5% above the 1.559M number. The Amtrak funds are separate and will have to be awarded by Amtrak for whatever tie-in work is going to happen between the bridge and the corridor.

Documents from today's board meeting: https://d2g63oyneaimm8.cloudfront.net/s ... 2021v3.pdf

Just to be sure I understand this, it would be the first of two double track bridges, not openable, a lot higher (so some boats that require the existing bridge to open can get through, but some boats not), requiring fairly long 'ramp up' leads to the bridge to avoid being too steep. Higher capacity because bridge won't open and because it will be in much better condition. Once complete, hopefully Amtrak ties it in with existing 2 tracks on both ends, then existing Portal Bridge is demolished (separate contract?). And maybe then another contract is done for another tall bridge for 2 more tracks for Amtrak to eventually tie into. All this to 1. replace the old, unreliable bridge, and 2. take advantage of 2 extra tracks from a new Hudson tunnel - once repairs to the existing tunnel are complete.

To be clear, this is the bridge west of Secaucus Junction. Any ties to new tunnels would be east of Secaucus.

Still, I think of it this way: Build the replacement, then rebuild the old bridge as a clone of the replacement. You get 4 tracks at 90mph.

Paul, thanks for clearing up the Amtrak part of the funding issue. $261 M does seem like a lot for "tie-in" though, even considering signalling upgrades for the higher speed, but I'm not in the business. JS

unclear if the ramps leading up to the bridge are part of the tie-in work. if so…yeah it's still a lot of money lol.