Amtrak and NJ Transit have advanced the Sawtooth Bridges Replacement Project in Kearny, New Jersey, with support from a $133 million federal grant. The funding will support final design and pre-construction activities for one of the Gateway Program’s largest infrastructure projects.
The project will replace the Sawtooth Bridges, which were built in 1907, along a 1.9-mile section of the Northeast Corridor between Newark Penn Station and Secaucus Junction. Contractors will construct three new bridges, realign NJ Transit tracks, and add two new Northeast Corridor tracks. The new structures will replace aging infrastructure that carries Amtrak, NJ Transit, PATH, and Conrail services.
Amtrak and NJ Transit will deliver the project with support from the Federal Railroad Administration. Skanska, Walsh, and Herzog serve as the construction manager under a construction manager at risk contract. SawtoothPartners, a joint venture of AECOM and STV, provides project and construction management, while Portal Partners serves as the engineer of record.
Early work is expected to begin in 2026, with the full project scheduled for completion in 2035. The replacement will increase train speeds from 60 mph to 90 mph, reduce service disruptions, and prepare the corridor for future capacity expansion.