NJ Transit OKs contracts for Penn Station, Trenton Transit Center projects

New Jersey Transit's board last week approved contracts as part of major projects to renovate Newark Penn Station and improve the Trenton Transit Center.

For the Penn Station project, the board approved a "first of its kind, all-inclusive" professional services contract to perform master planning, design and construction support as part of the long-term project to restore and renovate the 86-year-old station. In addition, the board approved funding for Phase I of the contract, which includes the preparation of a master plan and completion of a 10% concept design.

A Phase I $9.2 million contract was awarded to Parsons Transportation Group, which will use a team from Grimshaw Architects and Steer Group to lead master planning and design, NJ Transit officials said in a press release.

As part of the master contract, construction plans will be created that address state-of-good-repair needs as well as long-term capital improvements. The first phase of renovations will focus on aesthetics, and longer-term enhancements will focus on improving the station’s openness and overall customer and visitor experience, agency officials said.

"This contract marks the next big step in our efforts to restore and update Newark Penn Station, honoring its past as a cultural focal point and ensuring that it remains a vibrant hub for New Jersey residents and visiting travelers," said New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ Transit Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti.

For the Trenton Transit Center project, the board awarded a $1.9 million contract to AECOM Technical Services Inc. to provide all design and construction support phases. The entire $29 million project calls for rehabilitating two existing platforms and associated canopies, elevators and escalators, as well as converting a low-level platform into a fully accessible high-level platform with elevator access.

The scope of AECOM's work on the two island platforms will include replacement of existing deteriorating wood platform sections with more durable concrete platform, the addition of new tactile strips and rub rails, reconstruction of deck joints, and repair of concrete spalls.

"Ultimately, this project will create a safer, more modern, and more accessible Trenton Transit Center — with additional capacity and convenience for the thousands of customers who use it every day," said NJ Transit President and CEO Kevin Corbett.