PSE&G Plans Major Gas Line Upgrades for Hoboken

PSE&G will begin a project this month to upgrade 60 percent of Hoboken's gas lines as part of the Energy Strong program.

The project, which will begin on or about July 21, will include replacing 31,000 linear feet of low pressure old cast iron mains in or near flood areas with new plastic pipe. The new pipes will be upgraded to a higher pressure that prevents water from entering mains, increasing the reliability of gas service. 

PSE&G will also soon begin work to combine Hoboken’s three electrical substations into two and raise the substations to protect them from flooding. 

“We advocated strongly for the Energy Strong program and are thrilled that we have this tremendous opportunity to upgrade our infrastructure to be more resilient," Mayor Dawn Zimmer said in a statement. "I also recognize that this will be a major challenge for our community, and we ask for everyone’s cooperation and patience as we coordinate with PSE&G to minimize disruptions and complete these upgrades." 

The gas main work will take place in two phases. In 2014, work will take place to upgrade approximately 1,000 services south of (and including) 6th Street. In 2015, work will take place to upgrade approximately 1,500 services north of 6th Street. 

Hoboken is coordinating its planned road resurfacing projects with PSE&G, United Water, and North Hudson Sewerage Authority in order to minimize road openings, construction time and traffic disruptions. 

The city plans to repave approximately 50 blocks of roadway, make pedestrian safety improvements to 11 intersections, and upgrade more than 350 handicap-accessible curb ramps later this year.

Hudson County began on June 30 resurfacing work on Willow Avenue from 11th Street to 13th Street. The work is expected to be completed by July 30. North Hudson Sewerage Authority will be replacing three blocks of combined sewer along Jackson Street, from Newark Street to 1st Street. The work is expected to last approximately 8 to 10 weeks. 

A map of the planned resurfacing, gas line, and sewer infrastructure upgrades is available at www.hobokennj.org/docs/env/Hoboken-PSEG-roads.pdf. 

The work will involve digging trenches in the roadway, which will result in temporary closures and/or detours. If necessary, service lines that bring gas to individual homes and businesses will also be upgraded. This will involve digging in the street, at the meter, and in some cases, along the service line.

PSE&G will contact property owners to arrange a date and time to allow access so crews can install new meters where existing meters are scheduled for replacement. Customers will be without gas service for approximately four hours while this work is completed. Upon completion of the project, PSE&G will restore the property to its original condition. Grass areas will be repaired and any concrete or asphalt will be temporarily patched until final restoration work can be scheduled. Customers will have access to their property at all time. 

For the first phase of the project, PSE&G will be upgrading gas facilities in Hoboken on the following streets: 

• Newark Street between Grand Street and Washington Street 
• 1st Street between Adams Avenue and Washington Street 
• 2nd Street between Grand Street and Washington Street 
• 3rd Street between Willow Avenue and Garden Street 
• 4th Street between Madison Street and Grand Street 
• 5th Street between Willow Avenue and Frank Sinatra Drive 
• 6th Street between Madison Street and Court Street 
• Monroe Street between 3rd Street and 6th Street 
• Jefferson Street between 4th Street and 5th Street 
• Adams Street between 1st Street and 6th Street 
• Grand Street between 1st Street and 2nd Street 
• Grand Street between 5th Street and 6th Street 
• Willow Avenue between 1st Street and 3rd Street 
• Park Avenue between Newark Street and 4th Street 
• Park Avenue between 5th Street and 6th Street 
• Garden Street between 2nd Street and 6th Street 
• Bloomfield Street between Newark Street and 2nd Street 
• Washington Street between Observer Highway and 6th Street 
• Court Street between 4th Street and 6th Street 

More information on Energy Strong can be found at www.pseg.com/energystrong. A customer service representative will also be available to answer questions at the PSE&G Customer Service location at 615 Washington St. An FAQ on the gas main replacement project is available at www.pseg.com/family/pseandg/energy_strong/pdf/faq.pdf.

A fact sheet on Energy Strong is available at www.pseg.com/family/pseandg/energy_strong/pdf/factsheet.pdf.