The NJ Transit Board of Directors on Monday awarded a $6.4 million contract to Simpson & Brown, Inc., of West Cranford, N.J., for the construction of a pedestrian bridge from the Long Slip Canal adjacent to the Hoboken train terminal to the Newport section of Jersey City.
NJ Transit spokesperson Joe Dee said the entire project is federally-funded.
It is part of a larger state-mandated 18.5-mile walkway from Bayonne to the George Washington Bridge that adds a new segment whenever another part of the Hudson and Bergen County waterfront is developed.Completed in 2009
The proposed bridge, to start construction later this fall with completion by spring 2009, will complete NJ Transit's segment of the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway.
Among those expressing positive reaction to the announcement was U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), who pushed for $800,000 in federal money for the pedestrian bridge in 2005 when he was a U.S. Congressman.
"This is a key connection between two thriving Waterfront cities - one that will further extend the reach of public transportation options for local residents," said Menendez in a statement. "I look forward to the completion of this crucial segment of the Waterfront Walkway and the benefits it will bring to New Jersey."
Along with the bridge, the Lefrak Organization, the developers of the Newport residential/retail section of Jersey City, plan to build a temporary walkway from the bridge into Newport that will be completed in advance of the pedestrian bridge. Bridge over local waters
The bridge will span the Long Slip Canal, a body of water between Hoboken and Jersey City that feeds into the Hudson River. The bridge will span the mouth of the canal, which is the widest part of it between the two towns.
Dee could not say what the exact length of the bridge will be.
Construction management of the project is being handled by the Twenty-First Century Rail Corporation of Jersey City, who received approval from NJ Transit's Board of Directors on Monday for an additional $290,000, bringing their total contract with NJ Transit to $2.6 billion. They are also the designers and operators of the NJ Transit Hudson-Bergen Light Rail System.
The mayors of both towns praised the project.
Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy stated, "We look forward to this project bridging the gap for our Newport area residents who will be able to walk to Hoboken, and we equally welcome the visitors from Hoboken and beyond that will have easy pedestrian access to our vibrant community."
Hoboken Mayor David Roberts offered, "The new pedestrian bridge will provide convenient access from other waterfront communities to all that the city of Hoboken has to offer - both as a transportation hub and a center for recreation, shopping, and nightlife." To comment on this story, contact Ricardo Kaulessar at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com.
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