NJ TRANSIT's Board of Directors has approved a contract to initiate the conceptual and preliminary design phases of the Brielle Drawbridge Replacement Project. The project aims to replace the existing single-track movable bridge, which is over a century old, with a new two-track movable bridge. This upgrade is expected to improve flood resiliency and maritime operations while restoring two-track capacity to this critical rail infrastructure connecting Brielle and Point Pleasant Beach on NJ TRANSIT’s North Jersey Coast Line.
“When we talk about the aging infrastructure we inherited across our rail network, the Brielle Drawbridge, a critical link along our North Jersey Coast Line, is near the top of that list at 113 years old,” said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin S. Corbett. “This replacement project will add capacity and resiliency for generations of rail customers to come.”
The Board awarded the contract to Hardesty & Hanover, LLC of New York, New York. The firm will provide conceptual and preliminary design and engineering services as part of Phase I of the project at a cost not exceeding $7,708,478.47, plus five percent for contingencies, subject to fund availability.
Built in 1911, the existing Brielle Drawbridge remains operational but has surpassed its original service life. The bridge spans 1,162 feet from abutment to abutment and currently carries a single non-electrified track alongside a maintenance walkway. The single-track configuration creates a bottleneck between sections of double tracks and imposes speed restrictions: 20 mph for passenger trains and 10 mph for freight.
Phase I is projected to be completed by the first quarter of 2027. The entire construction project is anticipated to conclude by the third quarter of 2031.
About NJ TRANSIT
NJ TRANSIT is the nation's largest statewide public transportation system providing more than 925,000 weekday trips on 263 bus routes, three light rail lines, twelve commuter rail lines, and through Access Link paratransit service. It ranks as the third-largest transit system in the country with 166 rail stations, 62 light rail stations, and over 19,000 bus stops linking major points in New Jersey, New York City, and Philadelphia.
