Rush Hour Restrictions At Portal Bridge May Help NJ Commuters

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — Garden State commuters who travel over one of the state’s most infamous transit choke points – the Portal Bridge – may soon get some relief from increasingly frequent breakdowns, officials say… at least during rush hours.

On Friday, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey announced that the U.S. Coast Guard has granted a proposal for marine traffic restrictions on the Hackensack River.

Under the Coast Guard order, which went into effect at 12:01 a.m., all marine traffic on the Hackensack River that requires Amtrak’s Portal Bridge in Kearny to open has been halted between 5 and 10 a.m., and 3 to 8 p.m. There are “limited exceptions” due to tidal restrictions, but they require a minimum of two hours’ notice, Menendez said.

The Coast Guard restriction remains in effect for six months, but it can be extended, the senator said.

Menendez made the request in solidarity with U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, Gov. Phil Murphy and Amtrak after two, separate bridge failures on October 30, 2018 during the morning and evening commutes. That incident forced the delay and cancellation of 164 NJ Transit and Amtrak trains, affecting more than 155,000 passengers, he said.

Just last year alone, the 108-year-old rail span, which is forced to open to marine traffic on the Hackensack River, failed to properly close five separate times, causing major disruptions, Menendez said.

“Taking this significant step will help alleviate pressure on the Portal Bridge, restore some reliability to the system, and — most importantly — give riders some peace of mind,” Menendez charged.

“Every time the Portal Bridge fails, the disruptions spread across our transportation system faster than the plague,” Menendez said. “And it’s that much worse when the Portal Bridge fails during peak hours, when the number of people traveling the Northeast Corridor is at its highest. This is a win for commuters as we continue work towards our ultimate goal—the replacement of the Portal Bridge and completion of the Gateway Project.”

• See related article: Portal Bridge, Bane Of NJ Train Commuters, Gets $600M In Funding
• See related article: Murphy Says Gateway Program Could Fix Portal Bridge Breakdowns
• See related article: Tugboat Strike, NJ Train Delays Show Need For New Portal Bridge

Other officials agreed with Menendez that the notorious commuter chokehold needs fixing, and that the new restrictions may help.

Gov. Phil Murphy – “The U.S. Coast Guard’s decision to further limit bridge openings during peak traffic hours will go a long way toward reducing malfunctions and providing New Jersey commuters with faster and more reliable service. We thank the Coast Guard for their cooperation as partners, and we continue to call on the Trump Administration to step up and provide the Federal funding we need to build the Gateway project now.”

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker – “New Jersey commuters are regularly subjected to train delays because they travel across the 108-year-old Portal Bridge every day. I’m pleased the Coast Guard has taken steps to reduce marine traffic and in turn, reduce chances for further delay. However, we know that commuters will not get the relief they deserve until this bridge is replaced - which is why I’m so grateful for Senator Menendez’s partnership in fighting for the critical Gateway Program.”

Stephen Gardner (Amtrak Senior Executive Vice President) – “We appreciate the assistance of Senators Menendez and Booker and Governor Murphy in raising awareness of this issue and supporting our efforts with the Coast Guard. Amtrak is mindful of the need to balance rail traffic priority while preserving access to the navigable waters of the United States, which can be achieved with a new, higher-over-the-river fixed bridge that does not open and close. Portal North Bridge is the right solution to benefit waterway users and Northeast Corridor customers alike.”

NJ Transit Executive Director Kevin Corbett – “This agreement provides tens of thousands of customers with immediate relief from painful delays resulting from ill-timed failures of the Portal Bridge. I thank Senator Menendez and Governor Murphy for their leadership on this issue. We continue to await federal funding for a new high-level Portal Bridge which will end this century old problem once and for all.”

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