Starting on Feb. 13, Amtrak will perform critical work to transfer one track of rail service from the century-old Portal Bridge to the new Portal North Bridge over the Hackensack River.
Through the years, the aging Portal Bridge has frustrated many commuters, with frequent malfunctions and delays.
“The Portal North Bridge is a foundational piece of the Northeast Corridor,” said NJ Transit President and CEO Kris Kolluri in February 2025 when announcing that the third and final span for the Portal North Bridge had arrived.
In October 2021, President Joe Biden, Governor Phil Murphy and federal, state and local officials broke ground on the project, which had been on hold after many years of delays.
Earlier in 2021, Gov. Murphy, transportation officials and elected officials announced the finalization of the Full Funding Grant Agreement with the Federal Transit Administration to construct a new Portal North Bridge.
Its arrival marks a significant step toward providing first-rate service to commuters.
A major milestone in the Gateway Program, the work is essential to advancing long-term reliability and capacity improvements on the Northeast Corridor.
While the transfer, or “cut over,” of Amtrak-owned wires and electrical systems will ultimately deliver substantial benefits, it means customers on all rail lines except the Atlantic City Rail Line will experience temporary adjustments to rail service beginning on Feb. 15 and continuing for approximately four weeks.
Expect modified train schedules to include some train consolidations or cancellations, and others with changed departure times and/or stopping patterns.
Regular schedules are expected to resume on Sunday, March 15 — subject to the completion of safety testing.
The adjusted schedules, released today, go into effect on Feb. 15. View adjusted schedules, as well as links to alternate public transportation options by rail line, by clicking here.
NJ Transit worked closely with Amtrak and regional partners to develop a customer-focused service plan prioritizing capacity, continuity and safety.
“We understand that this work will disrupt the way our customers travel during the cutover period, which is why every element of our service plan was designed to keep people moving as safely and efficiently as possible,” said Kolluri.
“While the disruption is temporary, the benefits — including a far more reliable and resilient commute along the Northeast Corridor — will last for generations.”
“The cutover of the Portal North Bridge represents more than just work to connect railroad infrastructure; it signifies a whole new level of reliability on the Northeast Corridor and New Jersey that has never previously existed,” said Amtrak President Roger Harris.
“In just a few short weeks, we will reward the patience of Amtrak and NJ Transit customers by helping eliminate a cause of long delays and unreliable commutes.”
All NJ Transit rail customers (except the Atlantic City Rail Line) are strongly encouraged to view the temporary schedules at njtransit.com/portalcutover as all lines (except ACRL) will experience modifications to their regular schedules.
