STV leading construction management of Portal North Bridge replacement project

STV will provide construction management and inspection services for Portal North Bridge project

STV

The replacement of a 112-year-old, swing-style rail bridge that spans the Hackensack River from Kearney to Seacaucus, N.J., known as the Portal North Bridge, is just one of a series of projects in Amtrak's Gateway Program.

The Gateway Program is a series of rail infrastructure projects that will improve the most congested 10-mile section of the Northeast Corridor, creating the capacity for a doubling of passenger trains under the Hudson River into New York – Penn Station — the nation’s busiest rail facility.

The Portal North Bridge frequently malfunctions by failing to close properly for marine traffic, delaying commuters and bringing Amtrak and NJ Transit service to a standstill.

STV, an engineering, architectural, and program and construction management services company is in a joint venture to replace the bridge, and is providing construction management and inspection services. Construction on the project began in April of this year, and the project recently received funding of $1.56 billion.

The structure will be replaced with a new, two-track, high-level, fixed-span bridge that will rise 50 feet over the Hackensack River in New Jersey, allowing marine traffic to pass underneath without interrupting rail traffic.

“The bridge is located within a 2.4-mile corridor, serving two of the most active passenger rail lines in North America: NJ Transit and Amtrak,” said Jim Takacs, P.E., CCM, STV senior associate and deputy project manager. “This project requires complex construction management, phasing and staging to maintain active rail service while the bridge replacement is underway, and STV is thrilled that this agreement will allow us to continue our work on this essential project for the community.”

Since the Portal Bridge was originally constructed in 1910, it has become the busiest rail span in the entire Western Hemisphere. At peak usage, more than 450 trains pass over the bridge every day carrying more than 200,000 Amtrak and NJ Transit customers according to the Federal Transit Administration.

Read more articles about bridges and tunnels.

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