Booker Announces $444 Million in Federal Grants for Rail Projects Benefiting New Jersey Commuters

NEWARK N.J. –  Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) announced a total of $444 million in federal grants from the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) FY24 Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail-Northeast Corridor Program that will directly benefit New Jersey. The program is awarding NJ TRANSIT (NJT) and Amtrak nearly half a billion dollars combined to complete six projects that will improve regional rail infrastructure, advance the Gateway Program, and improve reliability for the tens of thousands of New Jersey commuters that depend on the Northeast Corridor each and every day.

Senator Booker wrote a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in June stressing the need for urgent investments in electrical infrastructure and a USDOT assessment of workforce development needs for electrical engineers along the corridor. Senator Booker also wrote letters in support of these individual grant applications in September of this year.

These six grants are part of a new round of funding through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that will invest nearly $1.5 billion in 19 passenger rail projects along the Northeast Corridor (NEC), with $444,368,573 in funding for projects impacting New Jersey. The Sawtooth Bridges Replacement and Final Design project was the second largest award in this round. Today’s announcement builds on more than $16.4 billion in Fed-State NEC grants announced in 2023 for projects along the corridor, such as the Gateway Program Hudson River Tunnel Project in New York and New Jersey, Susquehanna River Bridge Replacement Program in Maryland, Walk Bridge Replacement in Connecticut, and New York Penn Station Access Project—all of which have begun construction activities.

“This significant and historic investment in New Jersey’s rail infrastructure will deliver long-overdue improvements for commuters, businesses, and families across our state,” said Senator Booker. “I am proud to have helped secure nearly half a billion dollars in federal grants that were made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law so we can modernize critical rail systems. With these major investments, we’re strengthening the economy, creating jobs, and ensuring a strong and reliable transportation system for New Jersey and the Northeast Corridor. New Jerseyans and regional commuters rely on NJT and Amtrak every day for their livelihoods and they deserve to have reliable service without the major interruptions that have become all too frequent. This funding will directly invest in New Jersey’s rail infrastructure to improve the catenary system which caused the major service interruptions we saw this past summer. ”

“Thank you to Senator Booker, the FRA, and the Biden Administration for this critical funding to improve our public transit in New Jersey,” said Governor Murphy. “This funding will bring needed enhancements to Amtrak’s infrastructure that will improve reliability for NJ TRANSIT riders and will also be transformational for Penn Station, which is the gateway between New Jersey and New York.”

“Thousands of New Jerseyans rely on our transit systems for their daily travel needs. This funding to upgrade rail infrastructure in our state will not only ensure commuters have a safer, faster, and more reliable transit experience, but also improve service along the entire Northeast Corridor,” said Senator Helmy. “I am grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration for their commitment to improving our state’s transit infrastructure, building on the work Governor Murphy has undertaken since day one of his administration.”

“NJ TRANSIT is grateful to the FRA for this generous funding, and we thank Senator Booker and our entire NJ Congressional Delegation for their tireless support of public transit in New Jersey,” said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin S. Corbett. “The grants to support critical Amtrak work to modernize the antiquated infrastructure on the NEC, as well as the funding for the expansion and reconstruction of Penn Station New York, are vital to restoring service reliability on the country’s busiest rail corridor and improving the customer experience for generations to come.”

The funding breaks down as follows:

New York Penn Station Reconstruction Project: $72,548,687

1. This project will improve safety, railroad functions and the overall customer service experience within the existing Penn Station facility by modernizing and expanding the capacity of North America’s busiest rail station.

Gateway: New York Penn Station Expansion Project: $71,977,500

1. This project will double the capacity of peak-hour rail capacity between New Jersey and New York. Once completed, this project will increase service frequency, improve reliability, and enhance customer experience for hundreds of thousands of daily passengers.

County – Newark Catenary Upgrades: $13,418,592

1. This project will modernize essential infrastructure along a 23-mile stretch of the corridor in Northern New Jersey, and would fund the completion of the design and the environmental review of the project including NEPA analysis. Once completed, the project will result in the replacement of almost 90-year-old catenary structures. The existing catenary system is prone to failures that directly impact the reliability of the corridor.

Kearny Substation 41 Replacement: $80,277,321

1. This project will construct a new substation 41 on an elevated platform that will improve the reliability and resiliency of intercity and commuter services along this heavily traveled segment in Kearny, NJ. The project will also raise the access road and install new transmission and signal wires. The project will decommission and remove the existing substation that frequently floods and was severely damaged by Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

County to Elmora Upgrade Signal System 562 Project: $18,639,205

1. The project will modify the existing signal system along 26 miles of the NEC between the County and Elmora interlocking, spanning the corridor between New Brunswick and Elizabeth, NJ. These improvements will allow for increased train throughput and improved speeds. The removal of redundant equipment will result in reduced maintenance and testing, as well as allow more efficient signal progressions.

Sawtooth Bridges Replacement PM/CM, CMAR, and Final Design: $187,507,268

1. This project will be used for supplemental final design and for pre-construction support services for the replacement of the 115-year-old Sawtooth Bridges in Kearny, NJ. This application was for supplemental funding because the project has undergone changes since the FY 22-23 FSP-NEC grant was awarded. These changes include the decision to deliver the project as a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR), include an Independent Cost Estimate (ICE), the need for Project Management/Construction Management services, and an addition of 0.8 miles to the project area.

In June of this year, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11), alongside Rep. Rob Menendez (D-NJ-08), led the entire New Jersey House Congressional Delegation in requesting that the Department of Transportation prioritize additional capital projects that could fix these structural shortfalls, including through the use of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds, and asked that Amtrak communicate and coordinate better with NJ TRANSIT when these breakdowns occur. Representatives Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ-06), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Tom Kean, Jr. (R-NJ-07), Andy Kim (D-NJ-03), Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01), the late Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), Chris Smith (D-NJ-04), Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ-02), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ-12) signed on as well.

“New Jersey commuters are sick and tired of having a ‘summer of hell’ year after year. That’s why I fought hard to secure federal funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for long-overdue upgrades to our rail infrastructure. This will reduce commute times and make our rail system more reliable for New Jerseyans. In both June and July, I wrote directly to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg urging him to prioritize additional funding to help fix some of our most pressing issues along NJ TRANSIT’s Northeast Corridor line. In September, I urged the Federal Railroad Administration to release this critical funding for Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT as soon as possible, and I delivered that message in person during a meeting in October. And I am proud to have delivered for our commuters. While this grant is a step in the right direction, our work to improve transportation for New Jersey commuters is far from over,” said Representative Sherrill.

“Since coming to Congress, I’ve tirelessly advocated for funding to improve our region’s public transportation and critical infrastructure,” said Representative Menendez. “We know that the challenges we face in building an efficient and reliable transportation system can be solved if we take urgent action and resolve to see it through. I’m grateful that that Federal Railroad Administration is partnering with us to make that a reality, and I look forward to the work ahead.”