By Ashley Karen
On Sept. 11, the Gateway Development Commission (GDC) held a Board of Commissioners meeting where it made its first direct contract mentions: two contracts for construction and construction management services on the Tonnelle Avenue Bridge and Utility Relocation Project.
This essential early work package of the Hudson Tunnel Project (HTP) will be the first construction on the project in New Jersey and is envisioned to start this fall. Also, construction is anticipated to start this year in New York on the Hudson Yards Concrete Casing-Section 3.
Following a publicly advertised bidding process, Naik Consulting Group, P.C. will provide expert professional construction management and affiliated technical services for the Tonnelle Avenue Bridge and Utility Relocation Project, whereas Conti Civil LLC will be responsible for the project construction.
The Tonnelle Avenue Bridge and Utility Relocation Project contains the relocation of utilities and the construction of a new roadway bridge for Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen, New Jersey.
The new roadway bridge will be located instantly above a new future railroad right-of-way, which will enable a connection to the new tunnel portal at the western slope of the New Jersey Palisades. In addition, it will provide construction access between the staging sites on either side of Tonnelle Avenue.
Five out of nine contemplated Hudson Tunnel Project packages will be in procurement or construction by October 2023, with the GDC Board’s action on the Tonnelle Avenue Bridge and Utility Relocation Project.
New Jersey Governor, Phil Murphy, declared: “The Gateway Development Commission’s first contract awards mark yet another pivotal milestone for the most important infrastructure project in the country,”
“These awards signify, unequivocally, that Gateway is continuing to charge full-steam ahead, advancing far further than any of its predecessor projects abandoned by previous administrations. By breaking ground on the crucial Tonnelle Avenue project later this year, we build upon that momentum and the synergies we have forged between our partners in Washington and across the Hudson.”
Also, the NY Commissioner and GDC Co-Chair, Alicia Glen, pointed out: “The Hudson Tunnel Project is moving rapidly to construction,”
“With today’s actions, GDC is making the first major contractual commitments to building the tunnel. Once this work starts, we expect that there will be no stopping the most urgent infrastructure project in the nation.”
NJ Commissioner and GDC Co-Chair Balpreet Grewal-Virk stated: “We are proud to take significant actions today to keep moving the Hudson Tunnel Project forward and see work start this year. Governors Murphy and Hochul have made it abundantly clear that their priority is construction on the tunnel, and today we are taking a major step in meeting their mandate.”
“We are very grateful to the Biden Administration, Majority Leader Schumer, and our entire Congressional delegation for their partnership in ensuring that the Tonnelle Avenue Project is funded and built. This first piece of Hudson Tunnel Project work in New Jersey, combined with the Hudson Yards Concrete Casing-Section 3 starting work in New York, means GDC and its partners are meeting our commitment to start work on both sides of the Hudson River this year,” said Anthony Coscia, Amtrak Commissioner and GDC Vice-Chair.
Moreover, GDC CEO Kris Kolluri mentioned: “The progress that GDC and our partners have made in the last 12 months has been nothing short of remarkable. None of that progress would be possible without the incredible partnership we have with the Biden Administration, our Governors, Majority Leader Schumer, our entire Congressional delegation, and our Board of Commissioners. We will continue to work around the clock to reward their faith in GDC, and to build a project that will mean tens of thousands of good jobs and a better quality of life for hundreds of thousands of riders.”
In addition to its advancement on Tonnelle Ave. construction, the Board enacted a series of resolutions involving:
- A Market Case Estimate of $47.3M for the Tonnelle Avenue project, comprising all definitive dealt costs and contingencies associated with the project’s construction and delivery, and authorizing the execution of construction funding agreements with project partners;
- A Supporting or Executing Partner Agreement with the Port Authority of New Jersey and New York for services in support of the tunneling and heavy civil work of the HTP;
- A stipend program to support the Manhattan Tunnel Project procurement process;
- Labor Agreements between GDC and labor unions undertaking work on the Hudson River Ground Stabilization Project; and
- Appointment of Robert Hickman to serve as Chief Administrative and Legislative Officer of the Gateway Development Commission.
The Gateway Program is the most critical infrastructure schedule in the country – a comprehensive set of rail investments that will enhance commuter and intercity services, add required resiliency, and make new capacity for the busiest section of the Northeast Corridor (NEC), which is the most heavily used passenger rail line in the country serving over 2,200 train movements and 800,000 passenger trips daily.
