Gov. Mikie Sherrill takes ceremonial first train ride over new Portal North Bridge
Thursday was a big day for the Portal North Bridge, designed to replace the trouble-plagued, 116-year-old Portal Bridge that long caused delays for commuters.
During the afternoon, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill hosted a ceremonial first train ride across the new span. She said it will makes commuters' lives easier.
"New Jersey is the state that built the nation, but we need to continue to update New Jersey. and we've fallen short a little bit. And right now it's great to get back into the business of updating our rail system," Sherrill said.
End in sight for major service disruptions
NJ Transit riders say the change can't come soon enough. They've been dealing with major service disruptions for nearly a month and are ready to get back on track. Officials say most train schedules should return to normal once the first track goes into service this Sunday.
"It has not been an easy four weeks, but we are almost at the end of the journey here," NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri said.
Commuters have been waiting for decades for work to wrap up on the first phase of the $2.3 billion Portal North Bridge. Getting to this point hasn't been easy for riders. For the past month, crews have been working around the clock to connect the new bridge to the rail network. It's a process that has meant fewer trains, longer commutes, and crowded rides for some passengers.
"I just need it to be done"
Once the first track opens, officials say westbound trains will begin using the new bridge, while eastbound trains will continue to use the old one.
"I hope it makes it a little bit better, because the travel time now," commuter Yasif Sim said.
"Trains aren't running as often," commuter Kelvin Gonzalez said. "It's like almost a 30-minute wait for the next train if you're missing it."
"Whatever it takes to get it done at this point. I just need it to be done," commuter Martin Lucas added.
There is a second phase to the project that will start up in the fall, and could bring a similar experience to what riders have been dealing with over the past few weeks.
