Phase one of the Portal North Bridge project is officially complete.
Governor Mikie Sherrill will take a ceremonial first train ride across the new span on Thursday afternoon, marking a milestone for a project that’s decades in the making. For hundreds of thousands of frustrated NJ commuters, the finalized bridge can’t come soon enough.
The new Portal North Bridge replaces a 115-year-old bridge, which has plagued the Northeast Corridor with delays for generations. The original swing bridge’s aging infrastructure and mechanical failures made it one of the region’s biggest rail bottlenecks.
Relief Is Finally Coming
For NJ Transit riders who’ve endured weeks of construction-related delays, the timing couldn’t be better. Crews spent the last month moving the first track from the old bridge to the new one—a process that resulted in cancelled trains, rerouted service, and crowded commutes.
The disruptions end this weekend.
Starting Monday, the first track on the new Portal North Bridge will open for regular service and transit officials say schedules will return to normal. Westbound trains will begin using the new bridge, while eastbound trains will continue using the old bridge during phase two.
Commuters are cautiously optimistic. “I’m looking forward to hopefully less delays, but I won’t hold my breath,” commuter Ryan Stephens tells us. “It’s NJ Transit, so I have my reservations. I’ve heard it all before.”
Phase 2 Looms
Thursday’s ceremonial fist ride represents real progress. The $2.3 billion project is finally coming to fruition: the first track is operational, regular service is resuming, and commuters can finally breathe.
But this is only one piece of the puzzle.
Phase two for Portal North Bridge will center around moving the second track—it’s slated to begin this fall. That means another round of schedule changes and service disruptions are coming. Officials warn riders to expect similar delays.
For now, a turning point. After decades of waiting, the Portal North Bridge is approaching the finish line. With it comes fewer delays, more reliable commutes, and a modernized connection between New Jersey and New York Penn Station.
The long-term payoff is just beginning. For hundreds of thousands of NJ commuters, that matters.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.