NEWARK, NJ — A $242 million construction project is in the works to breathe new life into a century-old bridge in North Jersey.
On Wednesday, Amtrak announced that it expects to start work in the coming months to rehabilitate the aging Dock Bridge.
Opened in 1935, the Dock Bridge is a six-track, triple-span moveable lift crossing that spans the Passaic River between Newark and Harrison. The bridge serves trains from both Amtrak and NJ Transit, in addition to the PATH system – transporting an estimated 200,000 rail passengers every day along the Northeast Corridor.
It has seen better days.
According to Amtrak, the deteriorating bridge has experienced "reliability issues" that have caused delays for local commuters after openings. Tracks, signals and other critical rail systems have failed to align properly, and sensors and other components associated with the movable bridge systems have also seen malfunctions.
In 2024, the U.S. Coast Guard issued a permit for the Dock Bridge that authorized its conversion from a movable bridge to a fixed bridge – the first step towards rehabilitation. The project calls for making critical safety and reliability elements that will strengthen and reinforce the bridge's steel components, while also replacing major rail infrastructure, including elements of the overhead catenary system, track and signal systems.
The $242 million project is primarily funded by a $188 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration. The remaining portion will be funded by NJ Transit, PATH and Amtrak.
Work is expected to begin by the end of the year, with a completion date of 2029.
Amtrak said the project will impact more than 700 daily trains through one of the busiest sections of the Northeast Corridor, one of the busiest passenger rail lines in the United States.
Amtrak president Roger Harris said the Dock Bridge is a critical link that connects New Jersey and New York with the rest of the region.
NJ Transit president and CEO Kris Kolluri said the project will impact more than 90,000 New Jersey customers who use this critical infrastructure every day.
"We thank our partners at Amtrak for moving this critical infrastructure project forward," Kolluri said.
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