A joint venture, which consists of Parsons Brinckerhoff, AECOM and STV Inc., has been awarded a contract modification worth $111 million for New Jersey Transit's Trans-Hudson Express Tunnel.

The joint venture, known as "THE Partnership,", will complete final design and preparation of contract-bid packages for the 3.5-mile tunnel, which will double commuter rail capacity between New York and New Jersey. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a partner with NJ Transit for this project.

The project includes the construction of two new tracks in New Jersey's Meadowlands, two new single-track tunnels under the Hudson River and an expansion of Penn Station New York under 34th Street, including direct connections to city subways at 8th, 7th and 6th avenues, as well as Port Authority Trans Hudson (PATH) trains. Additional capacity and a connection to New Jersey Transit's Main, Bergen County, Pascack Valley and Port Jervis lines will allow for transfer-free service to Penn Station New York. The project also includes new train-storage facilities in Kearny, N.J.

A variety of construction methods will be employed to advance the project, including tunnel-boring machines, rock mining, sequential excavation, and cut-and-cover.