An infrastructure upgrade that is part of the greater Gateway Project has begun construction as Skanska has been awarded a contract to overhaul the rail-carrying Dock Bridge.
The global construction and development firm recently announced that it has been awarded a $93 million contract by Amtrak to carry out the Dock Bridge Rehabilitation Project in Newark. The span, which opened in 1935, is a six-track, triple-span movable lift bridge spanning the Passaic River between Newark and Harrison.
The stretch is one of the busiest sections of the Northeast Corridor for several carriers, as the bridge serves as a vital link for Amtrak, Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH), and New Jersey Transit passenger rail. It handles an average of 720 train crossings daily.
“We are proud to continue our partnership with Amtrak on this critical bridge rehabilitation, delivering safer and more efficient operations on one of the nation’s busiest rail corridors,” said Michael Donohue, Skanska Koch senior vice president and general manager. “This project will extend the life of the bridge, improve reliability for thousands of daily passengers, and lay the foundation for even stronger, more resilient rail infrastructure for decades to come.”
The rehabilitation of the structure will include upgrades to the three parallel vertical-lift bridges that carry six passenger rail tracks along Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor. The work involves decommissioning the movable spans and securing them in a fixed position, as well as jacking the existing bridge counterweights and installing permanent counterweight supports.
Other work included in the contract consists of rehabilitating concrete piers and removing the current fender system. Replacing catwalk railings, supporting Amtrak force account work, and modifying traction power systems and miter rails will also be undertaken.
Construction on the Dock Bridge rehabilitation commenced earlier this year and is expected to be completed at the end of 2028.
The Dock Bridge project is part of the larger Gateway Program, a series of infrastructure initiatives designed to enhance the efficiency, capacity and resiliency of the Northeast Corridor train line. Skanska is currently partnering with Amtrak on two additional Gateway Program projects: the replacement and demolition of the existing Portal North Bridge in Secaucus and the Sawtooth Bridges Replacement Project in Kearny.
The effort will eventually create two new tunnels under the Hudson River that lead to Penn Station in New York City. Work has already begun in Hudson County on that portion of the $16 billion endeavor, the entirety of which isn’t expected to be completed before 2035.
