For the past month, more than 200,000 NJ Transit riders were urged to work from home or brace for grueling commutes amid major service cuts to Manhattan. Now, the headache is finally over: after more than 40,000 work hours poured into the “cutover” for the new Portal North Bridge, full rail service to and from NYC officially resumed on Sunday, March 15.
The 116-year-old Portal Bridge has long been the cause of chaos on the Northeast Corridor. Because the century-old swing bridge frequently got stuck while opening for boats, it often caused the entire East Coast rail network to grind to a halt.
💰 A $1.5 Billion Upgrade for Commuters
Recently, NJ Transit awarded its largest construction contract ever—$1.5 billion—to switch operations over to the new Portal North Bridge over the Hackensack River. Unlike the old bridge, the new 50-foot-tall structure is a fixed span, meaning boats can pass underneath without requiring the bridge to open and stop train traffic.
The new bridge offers several major upgrades:
- Faster Speeds: trains can now travel up to 90 mph, a significant jump from the previous 60 mph limit
- Improved Reliability: no more mechanical failures from opening/closing the bridge
- Future Growth: designed to support increased capacity as part of the broader Gateway Project
🚊 What Riders Need to Know Right Now
While regular weekday and weekend schedules have returned, the project isn’t entirely finished. Here is the current status of your commute:
- Eastbound vs. Westbound: currently, only eastbound trains are using the new bridge. Westbound trains will continue to use the old bridge until this fall
- The World Cup Factor: officials opted to keep the old tracks in place for the summer to ensure maximum capacity during the expected ridership surge for the World Cup
- A “Friday the 13th” Preview: according to Gothamist, some trains were forced to use the new bridge two days early on Friday, March 13, after a faulty overhead wire on the old bridge caused chaos—a fitting retirement for the 116-year-old relic
NJ Transit officials expressed gratitude for commuters’ patience during the month-long disruption, which saw many Midtown Direct riders diverted to Hoboken.
Work will begin on the bridge’s second track this fall, ultimately merging all rail traffic onto the new bridge.
Pro-Tip: While service is back to normal, riders are still encouraged to check NJ Transit travel alerts and advisories for any lingering return-to-service hiccups and to ensure their specific line’s schedule hasn’t had minor timing tweaks.
