In a joint statement on Friday, NJ Transit President & CEO Kris Kolluri and Amtrak President Roger Harris said the two agencies are moving forward with initial construction for the Sawtooth Bridges Replacement Project.
According to Amtrak, the bridges, originally built in 1907, are located in Kearny, New Jersey, between Newark Penn Station and Secaucus Junction. They include a roughly 1.9-mile-long segment of right-of-way along Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor.
“This $133 million Federal-State Partnership grant for ‘enabling components’ will support critical improvements along the Northeast Corridor, delivering long-term reliability and operational benefits for more than 200,000 daily customers,” they said. “The Sawtooth Bridges Project will ultimately replace infrastructure that is nearly 120 years old and is one of several components in a series of transformative investments designed to strengthen the nation’s busiest passenger rail corridor.”
The Sawtooth Bridges Replacement Project, part of the Gateway Program, will construct three new bridges.
Bridge #1, which will be built to realign NJ Transit’s M&E Track 5 further north, allowing construction of Bridge #2, which will be built adjacent to the existing Sawtooth bridges for two additional NEC tracks. Bridge #3 will replace the existing structures and carry the two existing NEC tracks.
The duo claimed the announcement was another example of NJ Transit and Amtrak’s commitment to improving service for customers, and that it came just a few months after welcoming the first train over the new Portal North Bridge. Amtrak has also applied for an additional $3 billion in federal funding to advance rail infrastructure upgrades in the region, including future construction funding for the Sawtooth Bridges Project.
“Our partnership extends well beyond capital infrastructure,” they said. “NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak have also worked closely together to ensure a seamless travel experience during the FIFA World Cup, coordinating operations and maintaining railroad infrastructure to keep passengers moving safely and reliably.
“That collaboration has contributed to the successful movement of more than 185,000 customers to and from the stadium over the tournament’s first four matches,” the duo added. “Both agencies remain committed to delivering that same high level of service throughout the remaining matches and continuing our successful partnership to benefit commuters and intercity rail passengers beyond the tournament’s final whistle.”
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