News 12 rides first train over new Portal Bridge as cutover project concludes
The new bridge's extra height also means it won't have to open up for marine traffic that crosses the Hackensack River underneath, which delayed trains on the old bridge.
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News 12 was aboard the first passenger train over the new Portal Bridge, which opens to commuters next week after a month of disruption.
Because the bridge is modern - unlike the 116-year-old one it’s replacing - trains will cross at higher speeds, from 60 mph up to 90 mph. The new bridge's extra height also means it won't have to open up for marine traffic that crosses the Hackensack River underneath, which delayed trains on the old bridge.
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The launch of the new bridge next week will restore NJ Transit rail commuting times back to normal. That means no more construction-based diversions to Hoboken for many travelers headed to New York City. It created a challenge for commuters all over New Jersey as NJ Transit service was cut in half.
Thursday coverage
There’s more work ahead. The second track has to be transferred from the old bridge to the new one in the fall.
In Newark on Thursday, federal transit officials and New Jersey political leaders celebrated a job done on time and on budget, despite a challenging winter, while pledging a brighter future forward for commuters.
"You're on one of our brand new Acela trains, traveling over the Portal North Bridge as we pass New Jersey Transit's new multilevel train, and we both arrive at our destinations as expected, on time," said Amtrak President Roger Harris. "That is going to seem totally normal in this new world."
The second rail track will be transferred from the old bridge to the new bridge later this autumn.
