RELEASE: Gottheimer Helps Break Ground at New Portal North Bridge — Key to Gateway Train Tunnel Completion — Investment Clawed Back from Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Replaces 110-Year-Old Bridge

Above: Gottheimer breaking ground for the new Portal North Bridge.

KEARNY, NJ — Today, August 1, 2022, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) helped break ground on the new Portal North Bridge, key first step to completing the Gateway Train Tunnel. The Gateway Tunnel will connect 20 percent of the nation’s GDP between New York and New Jersey. The current tunnel between the two states is more than 110 years old and if it were to crumble, it would cost the regional economy $100 million a day. 

Gottheimer helped craft and pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, which will fund a major portion of the Tunnel, invest in New Jersey’s ports, roads, rails, and bridges, address supply chain issues, create jobs, and boost our local economy.

“After years of hard work, this is a huge win for Jersey to finally see shovels in the ground and people working on the Portal North Bridge — a key first step to completing the Gateway Train Tunnel. This bridge is a top priority for the completion of the Gateway Train Tunnel and it will help residents spend more time with their families by commuting on faster, more reliable trains, create new jobs, and ensure Jersey’s economy is stronger and safer — by removing our reliance on a more than 110-year-old-bridge plagued with bottlenecks and delays,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “Projects like this are exactly why I fought to help shape and pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill and claw back critically-needed federal investments back from Washington to Jersey.”

Gottheimer was joined today by U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, U.S. Senator Cory Booker, U.S. Representatives Tom Malinowski (NJ-7), Albio Sires (NJ-8), Bill Pascrell (NJ-9), Donald Payne Jr. (NJ-10) Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration Amit Bose, Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration Nuria Fernandez, NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin Corbett, New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, NJ Gateway Development Commissioner & Co-Chair Balpreet Grewal-Virk, Amtrak Board of Directors Chair Tony Coscia, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 825 Business Manager Greg Lalevee, Hudson County Building & Construction Trade Council President Pat Kelleher, NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors, and labor leadership.

Video of Congressman Gottheimer at the Portal North Bridge groundbreaking can be found here. 

Below: Gottheimer at the Portal North Bridge groundbreaking with New Jersey officials and the hardworking women and men of labor.

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