NJ Transit Service Suspended Due to Stuck Newark Drawbridge

NJ Transit Service Suspended Due to Stuck Newark Drawbridge

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Newark Drawbridge failure disrupts NJ Transit rail lines during Thursday evening commute

A mechanical failure at the Newark Drawbridge has halted service on three major NJ Transit rail lines, leaving thousands of commuters stranded or rerouted during the Thursday evening rush. The bridge, which crosses the Passaic River, became stuck in the upright position after being opened for marine traffic around noon ET, according to reports from trains.com.

The disruption has effectively severed the connection between Newark Broad Street and Hoboken Terminal. As ABC7 New York reported, service is currently suspended in both directions on the Morris and Essex Line, the Gladstone Branch, and the Montclair-Boonton Line. The timing of the failure has created significant congestion at transit hubs, with trains.com noting heavy crowds appearing on platforms at the Secaucus Junction station on the Northeast Corridor.

For those trying to use the regional transit network, NJ Transit has established a series of workarounds to mitigate the impact of the bridge being stuck open. Commuters traveling to or from Hoboken can take the PATH train to Newark Penn Station and then transfer to the NJ Transit Light Rail. Alternatively, passengers can take any train from New York Penn Station to Newark Penn Station, utilize the light rail to reach Newark Broad Street, and then continue via rail service to all points west.

NJ Transit disrupted after Newark Drawbridge stuck in upright position

To ease the financial burden on displaced travelers, NJ Transit is cross-honoring tickets and passes across several modes of transport. This includes NJ Transit rail tickets, private carrier buses, the NJ Transit Light Rail, and PATH services at Newark Penn Station, Hoboken, and New York Penn Station.

drawbridge failure disrupts rail service

The Newark Drawbridge is a century-old piece of infrastructure, dating back to 1903. While the structure underwent major repairs and maintenance during the 2009-2010 period, the current mechanical failure highlights the ongoing vulnerabilities of the aging system. trains.com points out that while there are existing plans to replace this two-track bridge with a new three-track structure, those plans currently remain unfunded.

Trn newark bridge
Photo: trains.com

Because the bridge is stuck in the open position, the rail lines cannot physically reconnect to form a continuous path, forcing a reliance on the more circuitous light rail and PATH connections.

As of Thursday evening, NJ Transit has not provided a definitive timeline for when the bridge will be lowered and rail service will resume. The agency has not released a specific update regarding the technical nature of the malfunction or the estimated duration of the outage.

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