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Yesterday, New Jersey Transit’s board authorized a $583 million design/build contract to a Barnard/Judlau Contracting Inc. joint venture to construct the first of three tunnel segments for the $8.7 billion Mass Transit Tunnel.

The mile-long Manhattan tunnel segment is part of an overall project  — managed by a partnership between NJ Transit and the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey — that calls for building two new single-track commuter-rail tunnels under the Hudson River to double the capacity of a two-track tunnel built 100 years ago and expand New York Penn Station.

Construction on the Manhattan tunnel segment is scheduled to begin early next year and conclude in late 2013.

NJ Transit’s board also authorized a $69.7 million amendment to an existing contract with Portal Partners Inc. for final engineering and design work for the Portal Bridge replacement project. In addition, the board awarded an $18 million contract to AECOM-STV Joint Venture to provide construction management consultant services.

To be completed in 2017, the $1.7 billion project calls for replacing the 99-year-old Portal Bridge with two bridges featuring five tracks — three more than the existing bridge.

Finally, the board advanced several initiatives, including a study of potential infrastructure improvements for the Atlantic City rail line and an agreement with the Delaware River Port Authority to fund a study of a proposed light-rail extension to Glassboro. The board authorized a $735,000 contract with LTK Engineering Services to conduct the Atlantic City line study.