Newark's Dock Bridge Begins Rehabilitation with $93 Million Contract

Amtrak awarded Skanska a $93 million construction contract as part of the $242 million Dock Bridge rehabilitation project.

• Skanska lands $93M design-bid-build contract on $242M Dock Bridge overhaul
• Bridge carries 720 daily Amtrak, NJ Transit and PATH train crossings
• $188M FRA grant anchors funding, remainder from NJ Transit, PATH and Amtrak
• Construction runs through end of 2028 under the Gateway Program

What The Dock Bridge Rehabilitation Includes

The Dock Bridge, which opened in 1935, is getting a major overhaul as part of the Gateway Program. Amtrak awarded Skanska a $93 million design-bid-build contract for the construction work on the $242 million Dock Bridge Rehabilitation Project, with LiRo-Hill separately awarded the project management contract. The bridge spans the Passaic River between Newark and Harrison and consists of three parallel vertical-lift bridges carrying six passenger rail tracks along the Northeast Corridor. It is used by Amtrak, NJ Transit and PATH, making it one of the region's critical rail connections. The bridge handles an average of 720 train crossings per day, so keeping the infrastructure reliable is particularly important for commuters and intercity passengers traveling between New Jersey and New York.

How The Project Is Funded

The $242 million total project is anchored by a $188 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration, with the remainder funded by NJ Transit, PATH and Amtrak. Skanska's $93 million contract covers the physical construction work.

What The Construction Team Will Upgrade

The project will decommission the bridge's movable spans and secure them in a fixed position. Crews will also jack the existing bridge counterweights and install permanent supports for them. Additional work includes rehabilitation of the concrete piers, removal of the existing fender system, replacement of catwalk railings and modifications to traction power systems and miter rails. The work is designed to extend the useful life of the nearly century-old structure while improving reliability along one of the country's busiest passenger rail corridors.

"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, senior vice president and general manager of Skanska Koch.

Donohue added that the project will help extend the life of the bridge, improve reliability for thousands of daily passengers, and lay the foundation for stronger rail infrastructure in the decades ahead.

What The Project Means For Newark And The Northeast Corridor

The Dock Bridge is more than a local infrastructure project. Its location on the Northeast Corridor means improvements can affect passenger rail operations across a much larger part of the region. For Newark and Harrison, the rehabilitation is another major investment in infrastructure supporting one of the most heavily traveled transportation networks in the Northeast. The project also comes as the region continues to address aging rail infrastructure and capacity constraints that can contribute to delays and service disruptions.

What The Gateway Program Is Building

The Dock Bridge rehabilitation is one piece of the larger Gateway Program, a collection of infrastructure projects intended to increase capacity, reliability and resiliency along the rail corridor between New Jersey and New York. Skanska is also working with Amtrak on the Portal North Bridge replacement in Secaucus and the Sawtooth Bridges Replacement Project in Kearny. The broader Gateway effort will eventually include two new rail tunnels beneath the Hudson River, providing additional connections to Penn Station New York. Construction on portions of the tunnel program has already begun in Hudson County. The full $16 billion Gateway effort is not expected to be completed before 2035.

What's Next

Major construction is set to begin in the coming months, with completion targeted for the end of 2028. The work will take place on an active rail corridor, keeping coordination between the construction team and rail operators central to the project through completion.