TRANS-HUDSON EXPRESS ("THE") TUNNEL
NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK

Client: NJ Transit/AECOM/STV/PB (THE Partnership)
Construction Cost: $8.7 Billion, the largest transportation project in the USA
Year: 2006 to 2010 (Project suspended)

IH Engineers, P.C. served as a subconsultant to “THE Partnership” on this project. Part of the Access to the Regions Core Project (ARC), "THE" Tunnel project involved design and construction of two new railroad tunnels (eastbound and westbound) under the Hudson River between NJ and NY, providing commuters with double the existing rail capacity between the Frank R. Lautenberg Station and Penn Station in the heart of Manhattan.

IH Engineers’ scope of work included the design of three new bridges and the rehabilitation of a fourth.

IH’s structural scope of work included design of the new Frank R. Lautenberg Station and Croxton Yard Viaducts, both designed as multi-span structures on pile foundations consisting of two independent, parallel bridges each carrying one of two proposed tracks. Our structural duties further included rehabilitation of the Penhorn Creek Bridge, which 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 bridge.

IH’s structural scope of work was expanded to include serving as the Lead Designer for the new Tonnelle Avenue Bridge (Routes 1&9) in North Bergen Township which encompassed the design of roadway and structural elements for a new two-span bridge carrying the existing four-lane divided roadway to accommodate new railroad tracks passing underneath on their approach to "THE" Tunnel. The bridge was designed to be a two span continuous bridge with semi-integral abutments. IH Engineers performed a seismic analysis on the superstructure and substructure, and designed the mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining walls for the access ramp from Tonnelle Avenue to the substation site. IH Engineers also provided construction support services such as shop drawing reviews and responses to RFIs.

IH’s civil design allowed the high volume Tonnelle Avenue (Routes 1&9) to remain open while the site underneath was excavated to approximately 25 feet below the active roadway to accommodate construction of the new bridge abutments, piers, and tracks. Responsibilities included the preparation of the soil and sedimentation control, drainage, traffic and environmental reports. In addition, IH Engineers prepared plans including typical sections, ties, construction plans, drainage/soil erosion and sediment control, utility relocation, signing and striping plans, grading, profiles and cross sections. Extensive maintenance and protection of traffic (MPT) plans and adjacent signalized intersection improvements were required to complete the project in three proposed stages.

"THE" Tunnel project was suspended part way during construction of the southbound portion of Tonnelle Avenue Bridge. At that time the superstructure was removed and the substructure elements buried.