"The new structure is taller than the old one, meaning it won't have to open and close for boats on the river. Officials said that would happen dozens of times each year on the old bridge, and it would often get stuck and require a worker to hammer the pieces back into place."
"It'll also enable faster service. Trains will be able to travel up to 90 mph over the new crossing, up from the previous maximum speed of 60 mph. The existing bridge carries 450 daily Amtrak and NJ Transit trains with 200,000 daily passengers, according to the two railroads."
"The $1.5 billion project was approved in 2020 by the Gateway Development Commission, which is also responsible for building a new set of Hudson River train tunnels. President Donald Trump signed off on federal funding for the bridge in his first term, but has tried to kill financing for the tunnel project since returning to the White House."
NJ Transit and Amtrak have transitioned service to the new Portal North Bridge over the Hackensack River, completing a major phase of a yearslong replacement project for the century-old Portal Bridge. The new structure is taller, eliminating the need for frequent openings to allow river traffic, which previously occurred dozens of times yearly and often caused mechanical failures. The bridge enables trains to travel at speeds up to 90 mph compared to the previous 60 mph maximum. The $1.5 billion project, approved in 2020 by the Gateway Development Commission, serves 450 daily trains carrying approximately 200,000 passengers. Eastbound trains currently use the new bridge while westbound trains continue using the old crossing until fall.
Read at Gothamist
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