The first stage of Public Service Electric & Gas’ massive renovation of 60 percent of Hoboken’s gas lines was not completed on schedule due to the recent snow and ice, according to a spokesperson for the utility. PSE&G now hopes to have the first stage done by April 2015.
As part of its Energy Strong program, PSE&G will replace almost six miles of low-pressure cast iron gas lines in Hoboken with high-pressure plastic lines that better resist leaks during flooding. During Superstorm Sandy, said PSE&G District Manager Michael Gallagher, some of the older lines in the city cracked and flooded, resulting in blockages.
The upgrades are taking place in two stages. The first, addressing gas lines in southern Hoboken up to and including Sixth Street, was originally scheduled to be complete by the end of 2014. The second stage, covering gas lines north of Sixth Street, has already begun and is expected to be complete by November 2015, according to the PSE&G spokesman.
In order to replace mains, PSE&G must dig 18-inch wide trenches in the roadbed, which are backfilled and covered at the end of each workday. The most conspicuous work areas have been on Washington Street, Hoboken’s busiest commercial corridor.