NJ Transit Diverts Trains During Portal Bridge Replacement

New Jersey commuters face five weeks of rail disruptions as NJ Transit shifts trains away from the aging Portal Bridge while crews complete the final stage of its replacement project. The work affects routes between New Jersey and Manhattan, with changes beginning after construction starts.

According to The New York Times, NJ Transit is expected to reduce weekday train trips between Newark and Secaucus by roughly half, while some services to and from Penn Station will be redirected through Hoboken. Amtrak's Acela, Northeast Regional and Keystone lines will also see reductions.

Regular service is expected to return on Nov. 15, when the final track, overhead wires and other equipment moves are completed, according to New Jersey News 12. The project will replace the 116-year-old Portal swing bridge that has contributed to previous delays.

Jim Lyons, a 58-year-old construction worker who commutes from Monmouth County to New York City, described how he plans to handle the changes.

"Grin and bear it," said Jim Lyons, a construction worker.

Lyons told The New York Times he expected to adjust his routine during the service changes, which will require many riders to find alternative connections into Manhattan.

"I'll probably take an earlier train, but other than that, going home, I don't know," said Jim Lyons, a construction worker.

According to New Jersey News 12, riders on the Morris & Essex, Gladstone Branch and Montclair-Boonton lines will end weekday trips at Hoboken instead of Penn Station. Passengers can continue to Manhattan using transfers involving buses, ferries or PATH trains.

Weekend trains on those lines will continue traveling to Penn Station, while the bridge replacement work proceeds toward the planned Nov. 15 completion date.