The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced the beginning of major construction work on the US$220 million Port Street Corridor Improvement project to redesign and rebuild Port Newark’s northern entrance at Port and Corbin streets.
The interchange serves as an important link to the New Jersey Turnpike and Interstate 78 and provides access to one of the port’s marine facilities that make up the largest and busiest cargo gateway on the East Coast.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey believes the redesign will feature a more efficient roadway configuration with a wider turning radius, allowing for safer trucking operations to and from the Port Newark complex.
The improvements will additionally offer truck drivers time savings while they navigate the complex, enhancing efficiency and reliability across the supply chain as well as reducing carbon emissions each year.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy commented, “These improvements will further boost the performance and productivity of Port Newark, which remains integral to economic vitality and opportunity not just across the region, but in adjacent communities. Indeed, the project will entail extensive local engagement and hiring, including among women and minority residents in Newark and Elizabeth, two of our state’s most populous cities.”
The project received a US$44 million grant from the US Department of Transportation’s Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program in July 2021.
“I am proud to have secured the US$44 million in federal funding for this project that will improve the functionality and capacity of the Port Street corridor in Newark – further facilitating the transit of goods, creating job opportunities, and increasing our country’s competitiveness,” stated US Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey.
The works are scheduled to be completed in 2028.
The Port Street Corridor Improvement project aligns with the Port Authority’s goals to maintain and update the seaport complex and remain on track for the cargo demand anticipated in the Port Master Plan 2050.
The comprehensive roadmap of capital improvements is guiding growth and development at the seaport complex as it prepares to handle a forecasted doubling or tripling of cargo volume by 2050.
The project is focused on the northern entrance to Port Newark and the adjacent Elizabeth Marine Terminal. The entryway connects the complex to Interstate 78, the New Jersey Turnpike, and a roadway section for both US routes 1 and 9. The ramp from Port Street to Corbin Street serves approximately 3,600 vehicles during a typical peak hour, 40% of which is truck traffic.
The interchange’s current configuration includes a series of hairpin turns with reduced sightlines, which are often challenging for truck drivers to navigate safely. More than 700 crashes were reported on the roadway between 2005 and 2022. The improvements to lane capacity, turning radius, and other safety features are expected to reduce crashes by 37%.
The enhancements are also expected to save 700,000 hours of travel time for vehicles accessing the complex in the first full year following project completion. The estimated savings in vehicle travel times will also improve air quality around the complex. The changes are expected to reduce average annual fuel consumption by approximately 70,000 gallons and result in the avoidance of approximately 750 tons of carbon emissions per year.
