The Replacement of Portal Bridge in the Northeast Corridor

This paper describes how the existing Portal Bridge in New Jersey has carried trains for 98 years, and will have been in service for 107 years by the time it is decommissioned. Overdue for replacement because its age, operating and physical characteristics and low elevation are no longer suitable for either the marine or the rail traffic that exist at the site, it is clear from objective analysis that the appropriate remedy is replacement with a new bridge (or bridges). The reasons are not unlike those which motivated earlier replacements of swing-type moveable railroad bridges that were situated in high-traffic environments. This paper would hope that the structure or structures that replace it will carry the traveling public between New York City and points west and south for another one hundred years or something close to that. Thus, in addition to projected traffic volumes supported by carefully-prepared ridership forecasts, one must be bold enough to believe that North America’s busiest rail corridor must, and will, continue to attract travelers for decades to come and make sure the project takes steps as the Pennsylvania Railroad surely would have during its own heyday to support that commerce, with simultaneous regard for the sensitive Meadowlands that surround much of the project site.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/1931594317
• Corporate Authors:

  American Public Transportation Association

  1666 K Street, NW, Suite 1100
  Washington, DC  United States  20006
• Authors:
  • Nazarow, Greg J
  • Cross, Richard
• Conference:
  • 2008 American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Rail Conference
  • Location: San Francisco CA, United States
  • Date: 2008-6-1 to 2008-6-4
• Publication Date: 2008

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: 10p
• Monograph Title: Rail Conference 2008 Proceedings

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridges; Forecasting; Movable bridges; Railroad bridges; Railroad traffic; Ridership
• Uncontrolled Terms: Aging infrastructure; Bridge replacement projects
• Geographic Terms: New Jersey; New York (New York); Northeast Corridor
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01115242
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 1931594317
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 25 2008 7:32AM