Background

The Pelham Bay Bridge is in the Bronx, New York, and spans the Hutchinson River. The existing bridge is a 117-year-old, two-track, thru-truss rolling bascule span bridge and is reaching the end of its useful life. It is functionally obsolete due to its limited design speed and narrow navigable channel. The bridge requires frequent maintenance and must be opened frequently to allow maritime traffic to pass; this results in disruptions of rail operation. 

The Pelham Bay Bridge Replacement Project (Project) will improve the reliability, resiliency, and level of service of Amtrak’s passenger railroad crossing of the Hutchinson River, improve the efficiency of bridge operations and maintenance, and ensure continued navigation along the Hutchinson River. The Project is needed to improve operational reliability for passenger rail service on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor (NEC), accommodate increased train travel speeds, and improve maritime navigational clearances and safety.  

Environmental Assessment

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), as the lead Federal agency, in coordination with the National Passenger Railroad Cooperation (Amtrak), as the recipient of Federal funds, is preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Project.  The EA will evaluate two alternatives, the No Build Alternative and the Build Alternative. The Build Alternative constructs a new bridge to the south of the existing Pelham Bay Bridge. The new bridge will be a new two-track, mid-level movable bridge across the Hutchinson River.

The EA is expected to be released for public review in late spring 2024. 

For questions related to the project’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, please contact Eric Rothermel, FRA Environmental Protection Specialist, at eric.rothermel@dot.gov. 

Permitting Dashboard

The U.S. Permitting Dashboard (Dashboard) is an online tool for Federal agencies, project sponsors, and interested members of the public to track the Federal government's environmental review and authorization processes for large or complex infrastructure projects. The Dashboard is part of a government-wide effort to improve coordination, transparency, and accountability. A link to the Project's page on the Dashboard is below.

• Permitting Dashboard Link