NJ Transit riders from Philadelphia should expect service disruptions for the next four weeks
NJ Transit will operate modified schedules and fewer trains until March 15 to allow for the upgrade of the Portal Bridge in Hackensack, N.J.
Philadelphia-area commuters must prepare for a monthlong disruption on NJ Transit while an upgrade to a century-old bridge is completed.
All NJ Transit lines, except the Atlantic City Rail Line, are operating on modified schedules with fewer trains running, starting Tuesday through March 15, to allow for crews to transfer, or “cut over,” rail service from the 116-year-old Portal Bridge onto the new Portal North Bridge over the Hackensack River.
Tuesday morning’s “Portal Cutover” schedule led to major disruptions on NJ Transit, the New York Times reported, with crowded trains and buses, many running behind schedule.
Commuting on NJ Transit
NJ Transit advises all commuters to work from home if possible and to check the weekday and weekend Portal Cutover schedules at njtransit.com/portalcutover. The agency warns against relying solely on third-party apps, such as Google Maps, because it has received reports of incorrect schedules being shown.
These modified schedules include some train consolidations or cancellations, and others with changed departure times or stopping patterns.
Commuters should travel before 7 a.m. or after 9 a.m. on weekday mornings to avoid major disruptions, or before 4 p.m. or after 7 p.m. on weekday evenings, according to NJ Transit.
Rail service is expected to return to normal on Sunday, March 15, pending a safety inspection.
“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 NJ Transit president and CEO Kris Kolluri. “While the disruption is temporary, the benefits, including a far more reliable and resilient commute along the Northeast Corridor, will last for generations.”
Why is NJ Transit upgrading the Portal Bridge?
The 116-year-old steel Portal Bridge has been a source of unreliability for decades as the aging infrastructure requires constant maintenance, an NJ Transit spokesperson said.
The new Portal North Bridge is also higher and will not have to open for marine traffic, providing more reliable service.
Amtrak commuters are also encouraged to check times and possible service disruptions, since the bridge is also used by Amtrak.
“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.