Amtrak has awarded critical contracts to advance progress on the Sawtooth Bridges Replacement Project.
The project is set to address long-standing structural issues and operational constraints on the Northeast Corridor (NEC), a vital rail artery in the United States.
A joint venture comprising Skanska, Walsh, and Herzog has been selected to lead pre-construction activities and, potentially, future construction phases.
This team will oversee preparatory works to facilitate the full scope of the project, which includes constructing three modern bridge structures to replace the ageing Sawtooth Bridges.
To ensure effective project management, Amtrak has also engaged a joint venture of AECOM and STV. This partnership will provide pre-construction support and manage activities during the construction phase, working closely with the Skanska-Walsh-Herzog team and Amtrak’s Capital Delivery department.
“Today’s milestone marks an important step for this extremely complex and critical investment that will improve commuter and intercity passenger rail in the busiest section of the NEC. Amtrak is making strides to address decades of underinvestment as we rebuild America’s Railroad for the next generation. We thank our partners at NJ TRANSIT, PATH and Conrail, as well as elected officials from across the region for supporting this project that advances our common goal of enhancing and expanding rail service in New Jersey, New York, and beyond.”
The Sawtooth Bridges, built in 1907, serve as a critical link along the NEC, carrying over 400 trains daily, including Amtrak, NJ TRANSIT, PATH, and Conrail services. Decades of wear and structural deficiencies have reduced their efficiency, capping train speeds at 60 mph and creating operational bottlenecks.
The replacement project will double track capacity to four tracks and restore maximum speeds to 90 mph. It will also improve reliability and reduce service disruptions. In turn, this will support increased demand for commuter and intercity rail services.
The works will span a 1.9-mile corridor between Newark Penn Station and Secaucus Junction, involving three new bridges:
- Bridge #1: Realignment of NJ TRANSIT’s Morris & Essex Track 5 to make room for additional NEC tracks.
- Bridge #2: Construction of two new NEC tracks.
- Bridge #3: Complete replacement of the existing Sawtooth Bridges, maintaining the current NEC tracks.
The project area’s high congestion and limited access points require careful coordination with NJ TRANSIT, PATH, Conrail, and third-party utilities. To navigate these complexities, Amtrak has adopted the Construction Manager At-Risk (CMAR) delivery method, which enables concurrent design, pre-construction, and construction activities, improving overall project delivery timelines.
The project has secured multiple grants from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) under the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program. Amtrak is contributing the required non-federal match to these grants. Additionally, the FRA has issued a Letter of Intent for future grant funding, contingent on Amtrak’s satisfactory progress through key project development stages.
Final design work is currently underway, with enabling construction activities progressing. Major construction is expected to begin in 2026.
