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

There will be a requirement for new base earth works to allow for track access to the new bridge. This earth work will be needed on both sides of the new bridge. The land under the fill for the earthwork may be swamp land or other land that is not very stable ? One thought. If the new Hudson tunnel for Gateway is already being bored that earth / rock might be useable for the earth work. Another possibility that I have no knowledge of is this bridge the cause of PATH tracks needing to be moved ? Or is that relocation later into the 4 tracking into Newark Penn station ?

west point wrote: ↑Thu Oct 14, 2021 1:05 pm There will be a requirement for new base earth works to allow for track access to the new bridge. This earth work will be needed on both sides of the new bridge. The land under the fill for the earthwork may be swamp land or other land that is not very stable ? One thought. If the new Hudson tunnel for Gateway is already being bored that earth / rock might be useable for the earth work. Another possibility that I have no knowledge of is this bridge the cause of PATH tracks needing to be moved ? Or is that relocation later into the 4 tracking into Newark Penn station ?

PATH tracks are nowhere near this bridge. Are you thinking of the Sawtooth Bridge replacement?

NJT gave the notice to proceed for the new Portal Bridge to the contractor this past week.

At last, commuters will see construction of a new Portal Bridge from their train windows

Gold plated, too.

Official groundbreaking on August 1: https://www.njtransit.com/press-release ... ransit-and

Construction has definitely been going at a good clip. Perhaps too good of a clip, as last week an excavator fell into the swamp and was still not fully recovered on Wednesday this week.

That will be a $50 million bill to someone...

Any word on how this is proceeding? Have they started on the fill that will be needed to raise the track to the level of the new bridge yet? Started construction of the piers at the ends of the bridge? Inquiring minds would like to know - - -

You're welcome to take the train and see how it's going…

I have no idea why you'd think that they would have already raised the fill to the level of the future bridge just a few months into the project. No, they haven't gotten there yet. They are still filling in the swamp just to get a level ground to get equipment in place to start driving piles into the ground.

lensovet wrote: ↑Fri Dec 09, 2022 12:22 am You're welcome to take the train and see how it's going…

I have no idea why you'd think that they would have already raised the fill to the level of the future bridge just a few months into the project. No, they haven't gotten there yet. They are still filling in the swamp just to get a level ground to get equipment in place to start driving piles into the ground.

I did not imply they raised the fill to the level needed I asked if they had started the fill, i.e. at least put in a base. Please read my words more carefully.

As for taking the train, I enjoy train rides but try to not go north of the Raritan River. That still leaves most of the U.S., at least those parts that have passenger service.

As I said, no, they have not started on the fill for the trackbed itself. That is still quite a ways off.

OK. Thank you.

It will be informative if riders NYP <> Newark will give us observed construction progress.

west point wrote: ↑Sat Dec 10, 2022 11:04 pm It will be informative if riders NYP <> Newark will give us observed construction progress.

Like @Lensovet said, they are still just (quite literally) scratching the surface - just getting access roads, sheet piles, platforms out into the marshes so they can get equipment where it needs to be to begin work. Newark to NY or Secaucus you can see the progress that they've made. Systra/Parsons/STV I think?

Worth noting that first track on the new bridge is scheduled to be operational in 2025. So, feel free to extrapolate from that. You're not going to see any kind of actual "bridge" to speak of until 2024 at the earliest, I would think.

2025, or 2525?