WASHINGTON — The two biggest New York-area infrastructure projects on Amtrak’s Northeast received mixed news on Monday, as the Federal Transit Agency upgraded the rating of the aging Portal Bridge replacement plan, while retaining the low rating for the Gateway Tunnel project between New York and New Jersey.
NorthJersey.com reports that the Portal North Bridge project received a “medium high” rating in the latest FTA rankings of project priority. That means the $1.8 billion plan for the new bridge can enter the engineering phase. The project would replace the aging swing bridge over the Hackensack River which sometimes fails to lock into place after opening, delaying rail traffic [see “Bridge failure leads to NJ Transit commuter woes,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 31, 2018]. Those problems led to significant restrictions on when the bridge can be opened [see “Coast Guard to make permanent ban on rush-hour openings of Portal Bridge,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 2, 2019].
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Amtrak board chairman Tony Coscia hailed the revised rating for the bridge.
In an NJ Transit press release, Murphy said the decision “puts us one step closer toward our ultimate goal; replacing this unreliable, century-old bridge and reducing delays for NJ Transit customers. … New Jersey remains ready and willing to work cooperatively as a full partner to ensure that this project, which affects the commutes of tens of thousands of our residents daily, is completed as expeditiously as possible.”
Coscia said Amtrak was “thankful” for the improved rating.
“A new bridge will significantly increase reliability for the 200,000 daily Amtrak and NJ Transit customers that cross the Hackensack River each day.”
The $11 billion tunnel project, meanwhile, remained at a “medium low” priority rating, reportedly because of concerns over local funding. That ranking makes it ineligible for federal funds.
“While it is my hope that the advancement of Portal Bridge represents a recognition by the Trump administration that Gateway is a project of national significance, the continued low ratings for the Hudson River tunnels show that we must remain vigilant and continue to hold this administration’s feet to the fire,” U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) said in a statement reported by NJ.com.
The decision on the tunnel comes less than a week after power failures forced closure of one of two existing tubes under the Hudnson River, leading to major delays for rail travelers. At the time, U.S. Rep Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) released a statement saying in part, “funding for Gateway is more than just a regional concern — it is a national priority and our economy depends on getting shovels in the ground.”
The full list of FTA project rankings is available here.
