NJ Transit Trans-Hudson Express (“THE”) Tunnel

NJ & NY

CLIENTS:

NJ Transit, PB/STV/AECOM (THE Partnership)

PROJECT DURATION:

2006-2010 (Project Suspended)

CONSTRUCTION COST:

$8.7B

SERVICES:

• Bridge Design
• Civil Design
• Drainage Design
• Environmental Reports
• Maintenance and Protection of Traffic (MPT)
• Seismic Analysis
• Traffic Engineering
• Utility Design

Project Role and Scope of Work

IH Engineers, P.C. (IH) served as a sub-consultant to “THE Partnership” for the design and construction of two new railroad tunnels (eastbound and westbound) under the Hudson River. The project currently on hold is intended to double the existing rail capacity between the Frank R. Lautenberg Station in Secaucus, NJ, and Penn Station in the heart of Manhattan.

Structural Engineering

IH's structural scope of work included the design of three new bridges and the rehabilitation of a fourth one. IH’s design services were expanded to include the new Tonnelle Avenue Bridge (Routes 1&9) in North Bergen Township, a new two-span bridge carrying the existing four-lane divided roadway to accommodate railroad tracks passing underneath.

IH's structural scope also included the design of the new Frank R. Lautenberg Station and Croxton Yard Viaducts, both were designed as multi-span structures on pile foundations consisting of two independent, parallel bridges each carrying one of two proposed tracks. The Penhorn Creek Bridge called for two new tracks, one on each side of four existing tracks of Main and Bergen Line. Realignment of the existing tracks was required in order to adjust all six tracks over the restricted width of the bridge.

Civil / Highway Engineering

IH's civil scope design allowed the high-volume Tonnelle Avenue Bridge (Routes 1&9) to remain open while the site below was excavated to approximately 25 feet below the active roadway. Responsibilities included: Preparation of traffic and environmental reports, construction bid documents, including specifications, estimates, and construction plans inclusive of drainage, utility relocations, typical sections, ties, signing and striping, grading, profiles, and cross sections, plans for adjacent signalized intersection improvements. Extensive Maintenance and Protection of Traffic (MPT) design work was necessary to complete the project in three stages without interrupting existing traffic Patterns.