NJ TRANSIT renovation of historic Perth Amboy station advances

The NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors today advanced the renovation of the Perth Amboy train station by awarding a contract for construction management services to KS Engineers, P.C. of Newark to oversee the project.  The improvements include making the station fully accessible with elevators, ramps and high-level platforms in addition to other upgrades throughout the historic facility.

“Making the rail system accessible to everyone is an important priority,” said New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti.  “This is just one of the many projects underway to improve the customer experience as we continue to modernize and upgrade the transportation systems in New Jersey.”

“The contract award approved by our Board today represents a significant step forward on this $47 million project that will significantly enhance the experience for all those who use Perth Amboy Station,” said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin S. Corbett. “This new station also represents just one of the many station enhancement projects advancing through our five-year Capital Plan, through which we are investing more than $1 billion in Middlesex County infrastructure alone, including our Raritan River Bridge replacement project and the County Yard / Delco Lead Storage and Inspection Facility.”

The board approved a $4.2 million Construction Management Services contract as part of a plan to enhance access and modernize the historic Perth Amboy facility, which was built in 1927. The firm will provide daily oversight of construction activities.  The project calls for the construction of two new high-level platforms as well as four new elevators and additional ramps and stairs providing access to the platforms. Upon completion of the project, the station will meet the requirements under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Other improvements include renovation of restrooms, the installation of upgraded security cameras, as well as repairs to both the eastbound and westbound buildings.

Located at Smith and Market streets near the Raritan River, the Perth Amboy station served an average of 874 weekday passenger trips before the pandemic. The station, which has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1984, is built in the Renaissance Revival architectural style. The station’s distinctive design elements will be preserved in the newly designed station.

The Perth Amboy project is included in NJ TRANSIT’s 5-year capital plan, which was launched, along with the agency’s first ever 10-Year Strategic Plan (2030), in June 2020. The total project cost is estimated at approximately $47 million, with completion expected by late 2023.

NJ TRANSIT is undertaking an ambitious plan to upgrade many of its older rail facilities.

Construction recently began on a project to replace the century-old Lyndhurst station with a new, modern and compliant station which fits the character of the area it serves.