Beginning on Monday, September 19, Public Service Electric & Gas Company (PSE&G) will be working in Highland Park to replace approximately two miles of older gas pipes with new, durable plastic and/or coated steel piping – ensuring a continued safe, clean and reliable gas system well into the future. Residents will be notified when work begins in their area by phone, mail, email, door hangers and Facebook posts. The gas main replacement portion of the work is expected to be complete in December 2016. The paving and street restoration is expected to be completed in the Spring of 2017.
There will be short-term road closures and detours during construction. Local police will direct vehicle and pedestrian traffic. At the end of each workday, the trenches will be filled in, and plates secured, on any open areas so people can safely drive and walk.
“These upgrades are part of PSE&G’s three-year program to replace up to 510 miles of aging gas infrastructure throughout New Jersey,” said Joe Forline, vice president of gas operations for PSE&G. “We are working closely with municipal officials and the department of public works to coordinate construction schedules and are committed to keeping customers in Highland Park informed about where and when the work will take place.”
The new pipes will improve reliability, reduce the possibility of methane leaks, and enable the installation of excess flow valves on service lines. These valves dramatically reduce gas flow if a pipe is damaged. The elevated pressure of the new gas mains will also provide better support for high-efficiency appliances like furnaces and water heaters.
Work will take place Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (conditions permitting) on the following streets/locations:
Abbott Street between North 9th and North 6th
—Central Avenue between Columbia Street and Sparkel Avenue
—Central Avenue between Alcazar Avenue and 140 feet west of Alcazar Avenue
—Cleveland Avenue between River Road and Madison Avenue
—Columbia Street between Woodbridge Avenue and Harvard Avenue
—Exeter Street between Harvard Avenue and 315 feet north of Harvard Avenue
—Harrison Avenue between River Road and 10 feet east of River Road
—Janeway between Jackson Avenue and Cleveland Avenue
—Madison Avenue between Cleveland Avenue and North 4th Avenue
—N 4th Avenue between Denison Street and Montgomery Street
—N 7th Avenue between Abbott Street and S Park Avenue
—N 5th Avenue between 50 feet south of Abbott Street and Montgomery Street
—River Road between 75 feet south of Wayside Drive and 215 feet north of Walter Avenue
—S 5th Avenue between Mansfield Street and Raritan Avenue.—Abbott Street between North 9th and North 6th
Before construction can start, the utility tests soil and digs test holes to verify the location of existing gas mains. When this preliminary work is complete, PSE&G will begin installing the new gas mains and upgrading associated service lines that carry the gas to homes and businesses.
- PSE&G crews will dig trenches, primarily in road surfaces, and lay new pipes block by block, in order to limit the impacted areas on any given day. To reiterate, There will be short-term the road closures and detours will be short-term, with local police involved in directing vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
- After the new gas mains are installed, PSE&G will need to access customers’ homes to connect their service lines and meter. PSE&G will contact homeowners to arrange a date and time to do the connections. During the connection work, customers will be without gas service for approximately four hours. PSE&G will relight all appliances and make sure they are safely working before leaving a home.
- In most cases, PSE&G will be able to install the new pipes without digging in lawns. Lawn areas, shrubs or other vegetation affected by the work will be restored. Grass areas will be raked and seeded.
- PSE&G will repair roads with temporary pavement until the ground settles. This takes about 45 to 90 days, depending on the weather and soil conditions. PSE&G then restores the roads with permanent paving in accordance with town ordinance and paving requirements.
- PSE&G crews will use work area protection including traffic cones, utility work signs, and barriers to ensure the job is done safely. The utility reminds motorists to slow down and follow detour signs when driving through the construction area.
. Customers can find more information at www.pseg.com/gaswork.