09/02/2026
For hundreds of thousands of passengers moving between New Jersey and New York each day, the Portal Bridge has long been more than a crossing over the Hackensack River. It has been a critical link in one of the busiest rail corridors in the country.
The original swing-span bridge was designed to open and close for marine traffic, which meant rail service could be interrupted when vessels needed to pass through. On a corridor carrying more than 450 daily NJ TRANSIT and Amtrak trains, those interruptions could impact commuters, travelers, crews, and communities far beyond the bridge itself.
The new Portal North Bridge is designed to change that.
As a modern, high-level fixed-span bridge, the new structure rises more than 50 feet above the river, allowing marine traffic to pass below while trains keep moving above. Once complete, the bridge will help reduce bridge-related delays, improve reliability, and support future capacity growth along the Northeast Corridor.
In March, the first track opened on the new bridge, marking a major milestone in the transition. The second track is expected to move onto the new bridge later this year, bringing the project closer to its full impact: stronger, more reliable rail service for the people and communities who depend on this route every day.
