Democrat,

In a major step forward for improving the daily commute for thousands of New Jerseyans, the Federal Transit Authority announced that the Portal North Bridge project is moving into the next stage of approval. Entering the engineering phase is a critical step toward a full funding agreement for an infrastructure improvement that is tremendously important to our state’s mass transit system. 

Governor Phil Murphy, Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, and New Jersey’s congressional delegation have been fighting for years to reach this point, and this announcement is a significant milestone in that process. The Governor released the following statement on the FTA announcement: 

“The Federal Transit Administration has committed to the engineering phase and accelerating federal funding in the amount of $766.5 million for the Portal North Bridge, a huge win for New Jersey, the region, and the national economy. Since taking office, one of my top priorities has been securing funding for critical infrastructure projects like these that will improve the quality of life for thousands of commuters and help rebuild NJ TRANSIT. I was honored to have been able to make the case for Portal North and New Jersey’s economic future directly to President Trump. I thank the President and his Administration for committing to this project and helping us usher in a new era of safe, modern, and reliable infrastructure for our region.”

The Portal Bridge is a notorious bottleneck point not just for NJ TRANSIT, but for the entire Amtrak Northeast Corridor line. The 110-year old span carries 450 trains per day across the Hackensack River at peak volume, but it frequently becomes stuck in its open position when cargo ships must pass beneath it. This causes massive transit delays, as employees must manually correct the errors -- literally by hammering the parts back into place -- to lower the bridge. The replacement project will significantly improve reliability and on-time performance for NJ TRANSIT trains, helping support Governor Murphy’s mission of fixing the agency and giving mass transit riders the experience they deserve. It will also create 15,000 union construction jobs, helping get our economy back on its feet as we work through the economic effects of the COVID-19 crisis.

Even with the COVID-19 pandemic dominating the headlines in recent months, Governor Murphy and our congressional delegation have not forgotten about other major priorities like the Portal North Bridge project. That’s the kind of leadership we can all be proud of. 

-- Team NJ Dems