Toll Of Commuting: Will the winter weather delay the Portal Bridge cutover project?
NJ Transit said construction resumed the morning after the storm ended.
More Stories
March 2 marks the halfway point for the four-week Portal Bridge cutover project to replace the century-old train bridge over the Hackensack River.
From the beginning, officials at Amtrak and New Jersey Transit said weather was the only unknown that could disrupt construction.
Fresh off the state's biggest blizzard in 30 years, officials say they don't expect it to delay the project past its scheduled March 15 end.
Amtrak executives said they scheduled "recovery days" into the four-week period so as not to fall behind. NJ Transit said construction resumed the morning after the storm ended.
For commuters, committing to four weeks of change is enough of a challenge.
"I just want to know that it's going to be done on time," said commuter Amy Campbell, of Summit.
"I've been getting [to Hoboken] pretty early just to beat the chaos," said commuter Simona, of Hackensack.
Even a couple of weeks in, chaos is the word inside Hoboken Terminal. Thousands of commuters who normally take Midtown Direct into Penn Station are instead sent there - where they must take the PATH, New York Waterway or NJ Transit bus 126 into Manhattan. Those transit methods are being cross-honored.
"I'm going to do the ferry," said Campbell. "I do it sometimes, but the ferry doesn't run that often, so it's just a little tricky."
"Frankly, there's crowding on our 126 bus line anyway," said Hoboken Mayor Emily Jabbour. "Maybe this is a good opportunity for us to continue telling New Jersey Transit that we need additional bus service."
Private buses have become more popular during the NJT service disruption. Boxcar CEO Joe Colangelo says they're averaging 1,000 more commuters per day, and are likely adding service.
"Morris County and Southern Essex County, they can't get enough Boxcar right now," said Colangelo. "They're on the Morris-Essex Line, which is all getting diverted to Hoboken."
And some commuters are still finding out that there's a second phase to come in the fall.
"I was talking to one of the conductors yesterday," said commuter Christina Nix-Lynch. "He said, 'By the way - I think this is going to happen again in October for the other side of the bridge.' I'm like, 'Oh, great!' They didn't share that!"
A two-part Toll of Commuting that those in charge say is still progressing on schedule.
