January 2025
Amtrak Awards Key Contracts to Advance Sawtooth Bridges Replacement Project
Kearny, New Jersey – Amtrak has selected the joint venture of Skanska, Walsh Construction and Herzog to conduct pre-construction activities along with future contract opportunities for the Sawtooth Bridges Replacement Project. This crucial project will construct multiple bridge structures with four total tracks, replacing the existing aging asset and significantly enhancing capacity, reliability and speed along the most heavily traveled segment of the Northeast Corridor (NEC).
The 115-year-old Sawtooth bridges will receive state-of-good repair needs through the replacement of the aging bridges through Construction Manager At-Risk (CMAR) delivery method in order to improve the project delivery time and allow design, pre-construction and other work to proceed concurrently.
Construction includes three new bridges along the 1.0-mile corridor between Newark Penn Station and Secaucus Junction. Work involves realigning New Jersey Transit’s Morris and Essex Track 5 to make room for the additional NEC tracks being built alongside the second bridge that will include two new NEC tracks that will be adjacent to the existing Sawtooth Bridges. Additionally, the third bridge will completely replace the existing Sawtooth Bridge structures that currently carry the two NEC tracks.
Additional work also includes increasing track capacity by adding two additional tracks, reinstating a maximum speed of 90 mph to enhance efficiency and reduce travel times, improving reliability by minimizing service disruptions and ensuring smooth connectivity and addressing the increasing demand for commuter and intercity rail services on the country’s busiest rail corridor.
SOURCE: Amtrak