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Public-private partnerships are nothing new, but one forged July 11 blurs the lines between modes in favor of an overall transportation package.



New Jersey Transit, New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) and Allied Junction Corp. finalized a joint development agreement that will result in construction of NJ Transit’s Main-Bergen Connection serving the Secaucus Transfer Station, a New Jersey Turnpike interchange, and a potential 3.5-million-square-foot office complex with hotel at Secaucus Transfer.



The $140 million reimbursement agreement would enable NJ Transit to accelerate construction of its Main-Bergen Connection and grade separate a crossing. NJTA would construct the Seaview Drive Extension, which would in turn enable completion of the new interchange at Seacaucus. NJTA would advance $84 million, and Allied Junction Corp. would reimburse NJTA as the commercial development progresses. Allied Junction is a partial owner of the land where Secaucus Transfer Station is being built.



Allied Junction would pay the infrastructure reimbursements, which also would include strengthened station foundations to support the office buildings, and construction of a New County Road overpass over Main and Bergen line tracks near the Transfer.



NJ Transit also plans to construct a 45 mph interlocking on the Main Line after the connection is complete. In a third part of the plan, the agency would expand the Main Line to four tracks over the 2.2 miles from the Main-Bergen Connection to the Morris & Essex Lines near Bergen Tunnel.



Along with signing the agreement, NJ Transit also awarded Railroad Construction Co. a $27.7 million contract for the Main-Bergen Connection project. When complete, the 4,500-foot connection would reroute Bergen County and Pascack Valley line trains to the Main Line west of Secaucus Transfer; two additional tracks would be built alongside Main Line through the Transfer.



NJ Transit officials expect to begin constructing the connection in August, with work continuing for 16 months.