New Jersey
NJ Transit, Amtrak rail riders face month of commuting hell over bridge project
NJ Transit and Amtrack are warning their rail customers to gird their loins for a potential full month of misery as a yearslong infrastructure project reaches a critical juncture — while promising the pain will be worth it in the end.
“In just a few short weeks, we will reward the patience of Amtrak and NJ TRANSIT customers by helping eliminate a cause of long delays and unreliable commutes,” Amtrak President Roger Harris said in a statement.
Amtrak on Sunday began the laborious process of transferring rail traffic away from the 115-year-old Portal Bridge spanning the Hackensack River in New Jersey to the newly constructed Portal North Bridge.
The train route is notorious for creating downstream effects affecting the entire Northeast Corridor because NJ Transit and Amtrak share a track north of Trenton. Delays at the junction frequently cause train traffic into and out of New York City to grind to a halt.
NJ Transit train riders will now have to do without direct weekday service into Penn Station on its Morristown, Gladstone Branch and Montclair-Boonton Lines — with all Midtown Direct service to be diverted to Hoboken — for the next few weeks.
Straphangers’ tickets will be cross-honored on the PATH train between Hoboken and 33rd Street, NJ Transit’s 126 bus and the NY Waterway ferry.
Transit officials are warning riders to expect delays because of the changes, particularly in Hoboken, which is expected to be badly jammed during peak hours and with the NJ Transit cross-honoring program.
Amtrak riders will meanwhile see a reduction in service for the month as 280 trains have been adjusted in light of the project’s last big push. The train service’s Acela, Northeast Regional and Keystone routes are among those affected.
The bridge work will be performed on both sides of the span simultaneously and will see 2.5 miles of new railroad connected to existing infrastructure. Two new interlockings will be built, and more than 4,500 feet of new track will be laid.
Amtrak says the job will require about 40,000 labor hours, to be done by 70 to 90 workers per day over the next month.
The work is expected to wrap up by March 14, when regular schedules will hopefully be resumed.
NJ Transit riders can check if their routes are affected here, and Amtrak customers can get help by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL or through Amtrak.com.
The current crossing has long been beset by delays caused by mechanisms locking up, particularly when contending with boat traffic — with Gothamist reporting that sometimes workers have even had to resort to banging the locking mechanism with a sledgehammer to get it working again.
Former Gov. Phil Murphy said during the project’s 2022 groundbreaking that the existing bridge gets stuck one out of seven times it opens to allow maritime traffic to traverse the waterway.
Fortunately, the new Portal Bridge North won’t have to open to accommodate traffic along the river. However completing the project means trains will be operating on a single track between Newark and Secaucus for the next month, limiting service into Penn Station on weekdays, the outlet said.
JAMESBURG, New Jersey (WABC) — When it comes to home deliveries, having your order stolen right off your doorstep can be infuriating, so one New Jersey man did it right.
Peter Tsistinas had his brand-new cell phone delivered to a so-called safe pickup site, designated by the seller, where it was stolen.
Delivery services can drop off your item at any number of safe locations, where you can later pick up your order. But as exclusive video obtained by 7 On Your Side shows, porch pirates are upping their game.
Captured on a security camera, a man calmly walks into the CVS store, asks for a delivery, shows an ID, signs for it, and walks off with a brand-new iPhone. There’s just one problem.
“They saw somebody that was not me getting my package,” said Tsistinas when asked what the police were seeing on the tape.
The real Peter, a popular DJ for hire, was dumbfounded. He chose the safe drop to avoid being porch pirated, but the thief still got the goods.
“Yeah, I actually paid extra for it. It wasn’t much. It was $7.99,” Tsistinas said.
Tsistinas got a notification from UPS that the phone was dropped off at 12:39 p.m., less than two hours later, he got a notice it was picked up.
But Tsistinas didn’t pick it up. It was the unknown suspect who went into the CVS, walking off with the brand-new iPhone for Peter’s son.
Tsistinas reported the crime to the police and alerted UPS, CVS and T-Mobile, which shipped the smartphone. The response to the DJ was what he called, “crickets.”
“I was watching, you know ABC News, and I saw 7 On Your Side and I’m like, ‘you know, you’re the first thing I thought of,’” Tsistinas said
7 On Your Side reached out to both CVS and the cell phone provider.
Within a week, T-Mobile responded, saying, “Our care team is working with Mr. Tsistinas directly to get him the device he ordered from us, and we’re working closely with CVS and our other partners to further protect our customers’ orders from theft. Our dedicated fraud, crime and logistics teams collaborate with vendors to address these issues and improve delivery processes.”
CVS also sent 7 On Your Side an official statement, saying, “We’ve connected with the customer and apologized for his experience. T-Mobile is now working directly with Mr. Tsistinas to help resolve the matter. Anyone picking up a UPS package at CVS Pharmacy must present identification matching the person and name on the package to be released. We’re working with the store team to help prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.”
After weeks of back and forth with the companies, Tsistinas could finally focus on his beats again.
“I paid almost $500 in deposit, and then it was going to be like so much per month. So, they just squashed all that,” Tsistinas said.
Referencing the Rolling Stones, he says he not only got his satisfaction, but also his money back.
“Nina, you’re the best!” Peter said.
Police are still looking for the suspect in the video and say he’s part of a crime ring. If you recognize him, call Jamesburg police in New Jersey.
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A police investigation took place at a Walmart in Cherry Hill, New Jersey on Wednesday morning and shoppers may have noticed an increased presence of officers at the shopping center, officials said.
On social media, the Cherry Hill Police Department alerted residents that an investigation was underway in a Walmart, located along Route 38 in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, at about 9 a.m. on Wednesday.
However, officials did not immediately detail the cause of this increased police presence, other than saying an investigation was underway and “the scene has been secured.”
Police were asking people to avoid the area, if possible, to allow officers the ability to complete this investigation.
However, as of about 10 a.m., police said on social media that the incident was resolved and there was no threat to the public.
OFFICIAL UPDATE: INCIDENT RESOLVED
The police activity at Walmart (500 Route 38) has been resolved without incident. There is no threat to the public.
Thank you to residents and motorists for their patience and cooperation while officers worked in the area. #CherryHillPD pic.twitter.com/668By2Ttht
— Cherry Hill Police Department (@CherryHillPD) July 8, 2026
As of about 10:15 a.m., police had not provided further information on the nature of this investigation, nor did they say if anyone was arrested through the course of this incident.
NBC10 is working to learn more.
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as new information becomes available.
WILDWOOD, N.J. (WPVI) — Multiple people were rescued from the ocean off Wildwood, New Jersey, over the weekend, and the rescue was caught on video.
It all happened around 7:45 p.m. Sunday on the beach near Schellenger Avenue.
In total, officials say nine people were saved.
The Wildwood Beach Patrol, which was among the responding agencies, posted video of the rescue on Facebook.
A woman who witnessed it all said she was struck by the act of bravery she witnessed.
“What I just experienced was just the most beautiful thing ever. These people just came out of nowhere – I’m talking about like Baywatch – out of nowhere, come out there and save those people in that water. It was so beautiful,” she said.
Officials are reminding beachgoers to only swim when lifeguards are present.
Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
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