KEARNY, N.J. — The Portal North Bridge has carried its first passenger train.
Marking the progress and near-completion of the cutover of one track on the new bridge over the Hackensack River, NJ Transit and Amtrak today (March 12) operated a ceremonial first train across the 2.44-mile structure. Revenue service on the new bridge will begin Sunday, March 15, with full service to start Monday, March 16, ending a month of reduced service to accommodate the project.
“For decades, the old Portal Bridge has been a source of delays and frustration for the hundreds of thousands of commuters and travelers who rely on the Northeast Corridor every day,” New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said in a press release. “With the first train now crossing the new Portal North Bridge, we are delivering a modern, reliable piece of infrastructure that will strengthen our economy, improve the daily commute, and support the entire Northeast Corridor.”
The new fixed-span bridge is 50 feet above the river, doubling the current clearance for marine traffic and eliminating the disruptions that come with opening the swing span on the adjacent, 116-year-old Portal Bridge. Those disruptions have often been extended by difficulties in closing the bridge.
“The Portal North Bridge represents the first major bridge project cutover completed on the Northeast Corridor, and we’re proud to celebrate this tremendous milestone with our partners at NJ Transit, Gov. Sherrill, and the U.S. DOT,” Amtrak President Roger Harris said. “You’ve heard about the benefits that this new bridge will bring for a more reliable trip, and starting Monday, it’s finally time to start experiencing them.”
The old bridge will remain in service for one track of Northeast Corridor traffic until this fall, when the second track will be cut over. Cutover of the first track began Feb. 15, leading to a more than 50% reduction in operations [see “Portal Bridge cutover to trigger …,” Trains.com, Jan. 15, 2026].
“The segment of the Northeast Corridor between Newark and New York is the busiest stretch of rail in the country, carrying more than 400 trains and 200,000 NJ Transit and Amtrak riders every weekday,” said NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri. “The first train over the new Portal North Bridge marks a major milestone toward completing one of the most consequential infrastructure projects in the nation and delivering the reliability our customers expect and deserve.”
NJ Transit’s board authorized a $1.56 million contract for bridge construction in October 2021 [see “NJ Transit approves contract …,” Oct. 13, 2021], but recent news reports have placed the total cost at $2.3 billion. The current bridge is scheduled to be dismantled in 2027.
The ceremonial train was led by NJ Transit’s America 250 locomotive, unveiled in December [see “News photo: NJ Transit’s patriotic locomotive,” Dec. 23, 2025]. NJ Transit provided the short video below of the first train crossing the bridge.
— To report news or errors, contact trainsnewswire@firecrown.com.
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