The Gateway Development Commission (GDC) has awarded a contract valued at around $711.7m to Skanska Creamer Sanzari NJSA joint venture (JV) for the construction of the New Jersey Surface Alignment, part of the ongoing Hudson Tunnel Project.
The contract was approved after a competitive bidding process overseen by an Evaluation Panel with technical representatives from GDC, NJ TRANSIT, the State of New York and Amtrak.
The planned works span about 1.5 miles between County Road in Secaucus and the tunnel portal at Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen.
This infrastructure is designed to connect the new rail tunnel under the Hudson River with the existing Northeast Corridor tracks.
Track, signal and other railway systems will be installed as part of a separate contract at a later stage. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026.
The project involves heavy civil engineering tasks, such as constructing 4,170ft of retaining walls, installing lightweight concrete fill, building 3,150ft of viaduct over wetlands in the Meadowlands, and creating bridges over Secaucus Road and existing freight rail lines.
Additional elements will include access roads, drainage, equipment platforms and utility relocations, while environmental regulations will guide work through sensitive Meadowlands ecological zones due to proximity to active train lines.
The contract incorporates seven Alternative Technical Concepts (ATCs) proposed by the contractor. These suggestions, reviewed and approved by GDC, are expected to reduce costs, limit environmental effects and improve maintenance.
GDC CEO Tom Prendergast said: “Seven of the construction packages that make up the Hudson Tunnel Project are now in progress or completed, and we are firing on all cylinders at our construction sites in New York and New Jersey.”
Alongside the contract award, the GDC board has appointed John Bartlett as general counsel. Bartlett, previously a partner at Murphy Orlando and a Passaic County Commissioner, will manage legal matters for the commission, including procurement and compliance.
Maria Anderson was also confirmed as chief ethics and compliance officer and board secretary after holding these positions in an acting capacity since August 2024.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill said: “The award of the New Jersey Surface Alignment contract marks another major step forward for the most important infrastructure project in America.
“One of the Hudson Tunnel Project construction packages is complete and six are now under way, creating tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, generating billions in economic activity for the region and the country, and building a reliable and resilient transportation system riders can depend on.”
The Hudson Tunnel Project forms part of the wider Gateway Program, which aims to improve commuter and intercity services on the Northeast Corridor. The line is already the nation's busiest passenger rail route, with over 2,200 train movements and 800,000 passenger trips each day.
In April, GDC awarded a $1.29bn contract to the Traylor/Walsh/Skanska JV for the construction of the Hudson River Tunnel Section, a key component of the Hudson Tunnel Project.
