Amtrak has announced plans for critical work to ‘cutover’, or, transfer one track of rail service from Portal Bridge in Kearny, New Jersey, to the new Portal North Bridge over the Hackensack River.
The work has been deemed essential by Amtrak, who believes it will advance long-term reliability and capacity improvements along the Northeast Corridor.
During the works, passengers will experience a multi-week reduction in both Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT services in both New Jersey and the Northeast Corridor. Whilst fewer trains will be in service, trains will remain in operation throughout the day with typical trip times.
Amtrak has worked closely with regional partners to develop a new, customer-focused service plan that prioritises capacity, continuity and overall safety. The operator has stated that the plan leverages three core principles: the maximisation of capacity and seat availability; the maintaining of service on all rail lines; and the upholding of safety standards.
NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kris Kolluri, said:We understand that this work will disrupt the way our customers travel during the cutover period, which is why every element of our service plan was designed to keep people moving as safely and efficiently as possible.
While the disruption is temporary, the benefits—including a far more reliable and resilient commute along the Northeast Corridor—will last for generations.
The new Portal North Bridge, which is set to come into service this year, is the result of a close collaboration between Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT.
