Drawbridge gets lift limit to dodge construction buddy on Hackensack River
Published Date: 3/26/2025
Rule
Summary
Starting April 25, 2025, the Amtrak Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River near Little Snake Hill, NJ, will have a new rule limiting how far it can open sideways. This change helps keep the bridge from hitting the new Portal Bridge North being built right next to it. Boat operators and train riders should expect no delays or extra costs, just a safer and smoother construction process.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Bridge opening limited to 55 feet; west channel closed
If you operate or rely on vessels on the Hackensack River at Little Snake Hill, the Amtrak Portal Bridge will only open to a 55-foot horizontal clearance in the east channel and the west channel will be closed to navigation. This limitation begins during construction (around March 3, 2025) and is expected to affect the bridge until about March 3, 2027; vessels narrower than 55 feet can still pass, but a 70-foot barge cannot transit the bridge.
New bridge opening schedule and 2‑hour notice rule
You should expect new timing rules for bridge openings: the draw need not open from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Additional openings for tide-restricted commercial vessels are provided between 7:00 a.m.–8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. only with at least a two-hour advance notice, and at all other times the bridge opens on signal with a 2-hour advance notice.
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