FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 10, 2020
CONTACT
Mike Friedberg
202-469-5131
(Washington, D.C.) – The Coalition of the Northeast Corridor (CNEC) commends the State of New Jersey Transit Board for finalizing a funding agreement with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to construct the new Portal North Bridge (PNB).
The existing Portal Bridge, built in 1910 as a part of the Pennsylvania Railroad’s extension from New Jersey to Manhattan, currently supports more than 450 trains on a daily basis. Because of its aging infrastructure, the current bridge is a major source of delayed traffic along the Northeast Corridor (NEC).
The new PNB two-track replacement bridge will span nearly 2.44 miles of the NEC with the primary goal of improving the reliability of current service, allowing for increased train speeds, and removing conflicts with maritime traffic. The project is estimated to take five years to complete.
The $1.8 billion project will be supported by FTA’s Capital Investment Grants Program ($766.6 million), the Highway Administration’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program ($57.1 million), the State of New Jersey ($811 million), and Amtrak ($261.5 million).
“The PNB is a critical national asset and lynchpin of the NEC. The CNEC has been a longtime supporter, and advocate for the PNB,” said Amit Bose, Chairman of the CNEC. “We commend the State of New Jersey for being persistent in its efforts to replace this critical infrastructure.”
“We look forward to working with Congress and the U.S. Department of Transportation to finalize this agreement,” said Mike Friedberg CNEC Executive Director. “Construction of the PNB is an important step in improving passenger rail service and reliability along the NEC.”
CNEC is the business community’s voice for strengthening rail infrastructure in order to reduce congestion, create jobs and grow the economy. We represent diverse stakeholders who rely on the Corridor to conduct commerce, access customers, and transport employees.