Only one track: How NJ Transit’s biggest project will disrupt your commute

🚅 NJ Transit will cut service by 50% for 4 weeks starting Feb. 15

🚅 Crews will crossover track and equipment to the new Portal North Bridge

🚅 Only one track will operate between Newark and Secaucus

NJ Transit riders will have to endure some commuting pain before enjoying the benefits of the new Portal North Bridge on the Northeast Corridor, as service will be cut by 50% for four weeks starting on Feb. 15, according to NJ Transit.

The final phase of construction of the new $1.5 billion Portal North Bridge is to switch over the signals, switches, and overhead wires from the old bridge to the new one.

NJ Transit officials said only one track will be available between Newark and Secaucus, which will require the temporary reduction in service and adjustments to the schedules of NJ Transit's trains running in and out of Penn Station New York.

NJ Transit President & CEO Kris Kolluri said the Portal North Bridge is the largest capital project ever undertaken by the agency.

"Currently, we have 332 trains that use the Northeast Corridor between Newark and Penn Station New York. The disruption for a four-week period will reduce our traffic by 50%. We understand what an impact that will have for our riders," Kolluri said at a briefing on Thursday.

The new schedules are now available on the NJ Transit website and at stations. Officials said all NJ Transit lines will be affected except the Atlantic City Line.

During the four-week period, NJ Transit said that riders who use Midtown Direct trains on the Gladstone Branch, Morris & Essex, and Montclair-Boonton lines on weekdays will be diverted to Hoboken. From there, NJ Transit said they will have several options:

• Cross-honoring will be in effect with NY Waterway ferries between Hoboken Terminal and West 39th Street in Manhattan with enhanced service
• Cross-honoring will be in effect with PATH at Hoboken and 33rd Street only
• Riders can take NJ Transit's 126 bus to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal

On weekends, Midtown Direct trains will operate to and from the Port Authoity Bus Terminal, NJ Transit said.

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Construction crews race to finish bridge crossover

Amtrak President Roger Harris asked for the public's patience during the project. The bridge replacement work is being conducted by Amtrak, and will affect its riders as well.

"We're going to be asking our customers, both Jersey Transit and Amtrak customers, to be a little bit more patient for a few weeks while we work on integrating this new piece of infrastructure into our network," Harris said.

Preparation has been underway for months to minimize the actual work, which will take 40,000 man-hours to complete, according to project engineers. Track panels that have been preconstructed will be lifted into place to connect with the existing track. Crews will be working two shifts, seven days a week, with an average of 70 to 90 workers per shift.

The alternative service plan was built around three guiding principles: maximizing capacity, maintaining service on all lines, and upholding the highest levels of safety.

NJ Transit said the work is scheduled to be completed by March 14, with regular schedules resuming the next day or when safety testing is complete. The last piece of the crossover is Positive Train Control, which Kolluri concedes could delay completion.

"If we are not 100% sure on safety, and if we have to take a couple extra days to do it, we will do it, and I'll be the first one to explain to our customers why we're doing it," Kolluri said.

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