Delays, reroutes and cancellations will plague NJ Transit’s midtown direct service through Friday, potentially affecting the morning commute, according to alerts issued by the agency on Thursday.
Until the issue is resolved, midtown direct trains will use Hoboken as a terminus. And while cancellations may vary, all departures are subject to delays as long as 30 minutes, said Kyalo Mulumba, a Transit spokesperson.
The disruptions are due to repairs to the signal system for the North Portal Bridge: a 112-year-old swing-span that accommodates rail service across the Hackensack River between Kearny and Secaucus.
Thursday’s issues were due to an electrical mishap caused by a contractor working nearby in Kearny, which affected the bridge’s systems, according to a statement from Amtrak’s Beth Toll.
However, the structure, which opens to allow maritime traffic to pass along the river, has become a notorious choke point along the busiest segment of the Northeast Corridor tracks, which serve both NJ Transit and Amtrak trains headed into and out of New York Penn Station.
The afflicted bridge is in such disrepair, it has been folded into the $16 billion gateway tunnel project, though New York and New Jersey reached an agreement in July to shoulder the costs of whatever the feds won’t cover.
NJ Transit commuter tickets will be honored by the agency’s buses, as well as private companies, and for use on PATH trains departing from Newark Penn, Hoboken and the 33rd Street Station in Manhattan.
Trains serving the Raritan Valley Line will use Newark Penn as a terminus throughout Thursday night, the agency stated.
For updates on Twitter, check @AmtrakNECAlerts.
