New Jersey working to enhance train travel to NYC with groundbreaking of Portal North Bridge construction

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Train travel between Newark and New York is about to get faster. The Garden State broke ground on the Portal North Bridge Construction on Monday morning. 

Local, state and federal officials met to kick off the project.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy joined U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Cory Booker to discuss the investment.

The $1.5 billion project is backed by New Jersey Transit, Amtrak and the Department of Transportation.

It will double the bridge's rail capacity and create over 8,000 jobs.