By Lynda Myer
The first two contracts for the Hudson Tunnel Project have been granted by the Gateway Development Commission (GDC), while providing professional construction management and related technical services for the Tonnelle Avenue Bridge and Utility Relocation Project will be up to Naik Consulting Group and Conti Civil LLC is due to be responsible for construction of the project.
Being scheduled to commence on this autumn, this critical early work package will be the first construction on the project in New Jersey, whereas construction is also expected to begin this year in New York on the Hudson Yards Concrete Casing-Section 3.
The Tonnelle Avenue Bridge and Utility Relocation Project involves the relocation of utilities and the construction of a new roadway bridge for Tonnelle Avenue in North Bergen, New Jersey. In order to allowing a connection to the new tunnel portal at the western slope of the New Jersey Palisades, the new roadway bridge will be located immediately above a new future railroad right-of-way and it also is slated to provide construction access between the staging sites on either side of Tonnelle Avenue.
Considering the conclusion of this contract, five of the nine contemplated Hudson Tunnel Project packages will be in procurement or construction by October.
According to New Jersey governor Phil Murphy: “Awarding the first two contracts was a 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.”
Additionally, approval of series of resolutions concerning the below were contents of the GDC:
- A Market Case Estimate of US$47.3m for the Tonnelle Avenue project, including all final negotiated costs and contingencies related to the project’s construction and delivery, and authorising the execution of construction funding agreements with project partners;
- A Supporting or Executing Partner Agreement with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for services in support of the tunneling and heavy civil work of the HTP;
- Labour agreements between GDC and labour unions undertaking work on the Hudson River Ground Stabilisation Project;
- A stipend program to support the Manhattan Tunnel Project procurement process; and
- Appointment of Robert Hickman as chief administrative and legislative officer of the Gateway Development Commission.
The published shortlist of three firms for the Hudson River Ground Stablisation project (HRGS) by the GDC in August 2023 were: Weeks Marine Inc; Walsh Traylor Bros JV; and Cashman Trevi Icos JV.
As a key element of the Gateway Program for the new river crossing between New York and New Jersey, the design and build HRGS is going to fortify and stabilize the riverbed on the New York side of the Hudson River over a 366m section leading to the Manhattan Bulkhead, while this work will improve conditions for the new tunnel to be bored through the eastern portion of the Hudson River section of the project.
The Gateway Program with US$16bn value involves building the new 3.9km two-tube Gateway Tunnel beneath the Hudson River, between Newark, New Jersey, and New York City’s Penn Station, and refurbishing Amtrak’s existing 112-year-old North River rail tunnel, which was badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
