NJ Transit riders will face five weeks of significant schedule changes and reduced service beginning mid-October as crews move final track to the Portal North Bridge over the Hackensack River.

Amtrak will cut weekday service on the Northeast Corridor and its regional lines, with the Keystone service dropping from 24 to 10 trains, while long-distance trains remain unchanged, affecting about 280 trains.

Temporary work during the outage includes Brielle Bridge improvements with bus substitutions, Raritan Valley Line track work with buses between Cranford and Newark, and additional signaling and interlocking work to support two-way traffic.

Officials emphasize collaboration and joint planning between NJ Transit and Amtrak to minimize disruption and ensure safety during the transition.

February’s track move saw higher Hoboken Terminal usage, underscoring demand and the importance of reliable local transfer options.

Officials say the goal is to resolve holdups before Thanksgiving and to ensure the Portal North Bridge serves customers reliably for about a century.

The project replaces the old swing bridge with a taller, more reliable structure to eliminate delays caused by bridge openings for boats.

Track 1 is already installed on the new bridge; Track 2 is being laid by a crew of about 50 workers around the clock to complete 2.5 miles of track and 4,500 feet of catenary wiring.

Demolition of the old Portal Bridge is planned to begin in January after the final cutover period, with the new bridge expected to be in service by mid-November.

The old Portal Bridge will be demolished in January 2027 once the new bridge is online.

The five-week window is longer due to the more complex cutover, including interlocking connections, two-way signaling, and finishing work on Track 2 and associated infrastructure.

Funding and contracts: the project is largely funded by USDOT, New Jersey, and Amtrak; a 766.5 million FTA grant was secured in 2021, and a 1.56 billion construction contract was awarded to Skanska/Traylor Bros PNB Joint Venture.