(The Center Square) – NJ Transit is moving forward with a pair of station overhauls on the busy Northeast Corridor.
Last week, the agency’s Board of Directors approved contracts for work at the Trenton Transit Center and historic Newark Penn Station.
The $1.9 million Trenton Transit Center contract to AECOM Technical Services includes construction support and design services for canopy, platform and accessibility improvements as part of a $29 million project. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) kicked in an $18.2 million State of Good Repair Grant for the project.
“Ultimately, this project will create a safer, more modern, and more accessible Trenton Transit Center – with additional capacity and convenience for the thousands of customers who use it every day,” NJ Transit President & CEO Kevin Corbett said in an announcement.
NJ Transit last rebuilt the Trenton station in 2008, and a station has been located on the site since 1863.
The $9.2 million Newark Penn Station contract to Parsons Transportation Group covers professional services, including master planning, design services and construction support for a $190 million restoration and renovation of the 86-year-old station. Parsons will partner with an architect and a transit-focused consultant firm.
“This contract marks the next big step in our efforts to restore and update Newark Penn Station, honoring its past as a cultural focal point, and ensuring that it remains a vibrant hub for New Jersey residents and visiting travelers,” New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti said in an announcement. Gutierrez-Scaccetti chairs the NJ Transit Board.
Meanwhile, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded a “Medium-High” rating to the Hudson Tunnel project, moving it closer to federal funding. The project, part of the Gateway Program, calls for a new tunnel on the Northeast Corridor between New Jersey and New York City.
“The day many commuters never thought they’d ever see is finally coming,” New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement. “We are closer than ever to securing a fairly and fully funded Gateway Program and beginning the work of delivering the safe and modern infrastructure our people and economy deserve.”
