by Suburban Station
if only our salaries went up the way publicly funded infrastructure costs went up...it's more than doubled since in less than ten years from 700 million to 1.5 billion
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Hawaiitiki wrote:Maybe I'm missing something, but is this article only referring to an "apples to apples" replacement? 2 tracks replaced by 2 tracks? Isn't one of the goals to at the very least triple (hope quadruple) track the distance between the waterfront connection junction and New York Penn? $1.5billion for a two track non-moveable bridge seems insane.Yes you are missing something. Media types do get their writing incorrect. The plan as posted elsewhere on Gateway sites has the first 2 track north Portal bridge to be constructed. The present swing bridge will be kept in service but if it has a failure it can be taken out of service and repaired. Once funding is acquired for the 2 track Portal south bridge then the swing bridge will be removed. So the swing bridge is going to be around for awhile. Since the whole NEC Gateway project needs funds the south Portal bridge is one of the last items to start construction.
NJ TRANSIT has taken another step toward improving service reliability on the Northeast Corridor by moving forward with the Portal Bridge North Project and entering into an early action construction contract award.This surely feels like a third world country -- for a bridge that is expected to cost $1B spending the first $15M takes about an year and a half. Makes me wonder if even the money was in the bank today (it is not) when would they expect to finish this?
At today’s Board of Directors’ meeting, the Board authorized a vote to enter into an early action contract with PKF-Mark III Inc., of Newtown, Pa., for the amount of $14.5 million, plus five percent for contingencies, subject to the availability of funds.
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Work is expected to begin in July and is anticipated to be completed by the first-quarter of 2019.
The Early Action Construction project includes the realignment of a 138kV transmission pole, the installation of new fiber optic cable poles, the construction of a construction access structure known as a finger pier, the construction of a steel bridge structure over the Jersey City Municipal Utility Authority water main, and the construction of a retaining wall just west of the Frank R. Lautenberg Station at Secaucus Junction.And actually, I wasn't expecting even $15 million of work to start this soon!
Portal Bridge project clears another hurdle
WASHINGTON -- The Federal Transit Administration on Wednesday approved the environmental impact statement for the Portal Bridge replacement, an important step toward obtaining federal funding for the $1.6 billion project.
Replacing the century-old bridge over Hackensack River in Kearny is part of the Gateway Tunnel project, which also includes new tracks under the Hudson River.
When the old swing bridge gets stuck in the open position, it delays train traffic in the heavily traveled Northeast Corridor. The new bridge would be a higher, fixed span.
The federal government is being asked to pay about half the cost. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New Jersey Transit and Amtrak also are involved with the project.
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