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Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Why are you preparing an Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for the Portal Bridge?
The Portal Bridge is almost 100 years old and no longer functionally suitable
for efficient rail operations in the Northeast Corridor. Given bridge limitations,
the EIS will evaluate different alternatives for replacing or improving it.
The alternative selected will best meet current and future rail transportation
needs while minimizing adverse social, economic, and environmental effects.
What are the Portal Bridge’s
current limitations?
At present, the 961-foot span has only 23 feet of clearance between mean
high water (MHW) and the lowest steel elevation of the bridge. As a result,
bridge openings are required to allow most marine vessels navigating the
Hackensack River to pass through. The lengthy amount of time that is required
to open and close the bridge for marine traffic interferes with rail operations.
Also, frequent bridge openings increase the likelihood of mechanical malfunctions,
which have caused the bridge to remain in the open position for inordinately
long periods of time, causing system-wide delays in train service.
Is the
bridge safe?
The bridge is safe, but it requires ongoing costly maintenance and repairs.
These can be viewed as interim solutions. However, increasing rail traffic
and service improvements along the Northeast Corridor will further stress
the aging structure’s condition and may not be able to support future
transportation demand.
What is the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process?
Where are we now?
The EIS process is mandated by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
and is intended to ensure that a project considers consequences as part of
the project planning process. The process involves scoping, a Draft EIS (DEIS),
followed by a Final EIS (FEIS). Public involvement is critical throughout
the entire process. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will oversee
the entire EIS process and the resulting final document for the Portal Bridge
Capacity Enhancement Project.
Why is the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
directing preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)?
As the federal agency responsible for national rail transportation policy
and railroad safety, the FRA also oversees Amtrak’s discretionary capital
programs; Amtrak owns the Portal Bridge and most of the Northeast Corridor
infrastructure.
What alternatives will the Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) consider?
The range of preliminary alternatives identified in the Scoping Document
may include a combination of rehabilitation bridge options; replacement bridge
options; or reasonable alternatives that may be identified by the public
during the scoping process for the DEIS. The EIS will also evaluate a “No
Action” alternative, which considers what future conditions in the
Northeast Corridor might be if no project is undertaken to rehabilitate or
replace the Portal Bridge.
Would a new Portal Bridge include more tracks
than the existing one?
Possibly. The existing bridge has two tracks; a new bridge design might include
three tracks to allow for greater flexibility in train routing. However,
an exhaustive evaluation of all alternatives will be made with a view towards
satisfying the purpose and need for the project and its related goals.
What is the estimated cost of the Portal Bridge Capacity
Enhancement Project?
The cost of the project will depend on the alternative selected in the EIS
process.
What is the Portal Bridge Capacity
Enhancement Project’s relationship
to the THE Tunnel project?
Under the umbrella of Access to the Region’s Core (ARC) study, THE
Tunnel project involves the construction of a new passenger rail station
underneath 34th Street (near New York’s Penn Station), a two-track
tunnel under the Hudson River, a connection allowing for a one seat ride
to New York City for passengers on the Main and Bergen and Pascack Valley
lines and additional improvements that will allow NJ TRANSIT to increase
its rail capacity and improve service. The Portal Bridge complements the
ARC project by addressing a crucial bottleneck along the Northeast Corridor
at the Hackensack River. Both projects would serve to provide commuters with
additional capacity along this transportation corridor.
How will the public be involved in the Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS) process?
The first formal opportunity for public involvement is the scoping process,
where the public is encouraged to provide the Federal Railroad Administration
(FRA) with comments on issues related to the project that should be addressed
in the Draft EIS (DEIS). Following the scoping process, the public can continue
to provide input throughout the EIS process. Public hearings and open houses
will be scheduled along the way. In addition, a Regional Citizens’ Liaison
Committee will be created to provide the opportunity for community members
to have input. Project information, including updates, will also be available
to the public on this website and in periodic newsletters and press releases.
Following completion and issuance of the DEIS, comments, suggestions and
other information gathered at the public hearings will be addressed in the
Final EIS (FEIS).
What can I do to participate further
in the Portal Bridge Capacity Enhancement Project?
You can join the Regional Citizens Liaison Committee or subscribe to our
mailing
list to stay informed of the latest project developments.
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