en.Wedoany.com Reported - The New Jersey Turnpike Authority will initiate the contractor prequalification process this summer for the approximately $6.7 billion Newark Bay Bridge replacement project. The new bridge will be a single-span, four-lane cable-stayed structure, replacing the 70-year-old Vincent R. Casciano Memorial Bridge. It is part of the Newark Bay-Hudson County Extension Program.
A Turnpike Authority spokesperson stated that the Request for Proposals (RFP) will be issued later this year, and the contract for the cable-stayed bridge structure could be awarded within months. Preliminary work has already begun: in March, two contracts for trestle construction were approved. PKF-Mark III will build a 177,000-square-foot trestle in Bayonne for $74.1 million, while George Harms Construction Company will build a 106,000-square-foot trestle in Newark for $38.3 million. A joint venture between Jacobs and STV was awarded a $141.3 million contract for project management of the replacement.
Newly elected Governor Sherrill scaled back the original $10.7 billion dual-span plan to a single-span cable-stayed bridge due to cost and community opposition. Roadwork will be limited to safety improvements to maintain the existing 8.1-mile corridor's capacity, with traffic diversion planned before 2031. The Authority stated it will proceed with the already approved final cable-stayed bridge design, making no changes to the design contract with Parsons Transportation Group or to the road and bridge improvement contracts with Michael Baker International and Gannett Fleming.
The scaling-down decision stemmed from retaining the existing two-lane configuration in Jersey City in December 2025, saving approximately $500 million. The Authority will build new direct connections to the ports in Bayonne and Jersey City to improve truck and local traffic flow. In a joint statement, the mayors of Jersey City and Newark said the new plan alleviates the burden on communities with high traffic and pollution. Regarding contractor associations, the New Jersey Utility and Transportation Contractors Association believes the project will enhance facility efficiency and safety. However, the New Jersey Associated Builders and Contractors Association opposes the mandatory project labor agreement, arguing it would increase costs and exclude some local firms.
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