7/30 – NJ Natural Gas to Begin Main Installation on West Front Street in Middletown

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WALL – New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) today announced that it is installing 1,500 feet of main on West Front Street in Middletown, between Hubbard Avenue and George Street, as part of its ongoing commitment to ensure system reliability and service to its customers.
Work will be done overnight, from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m., Monday through Friday, until Friday, Aug. 8. Temporary lane closures are in place, and detour signs are posted. The road will reopen during the day and on weekends. Drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes to avoid delays. Service to customers will not be affected.
Immediately following the completion of this phase of the project, NJNG will begin installing 3,000 feet of main and renewing customers’ services on West Front Street, between George Street and Half Mile Road. This work will be completed during daytime hours, and is expected to be completed in the beginning of November. Temporary lane closures will be in place, and detour signs will be posted.
NJNG is working to complete the project as expeditiously as possible. It is closely coordinating its work with county, local and school officials to minimize traffic impacts during construction. The project is being completed in conjunction with Monmouth County’s replacement of the Front Street bridge into Red Bank as well as NJ Transit’s planned maintenance on Navesink River Road.
This work is being completed as part of NJNG’s Safety Acceleration and Facility Enhancement (SAFE) program, through which NJNG is replacing 276 miles of cast iron and unprotected steel main and associated services in its delivery system. Cast iron and unprotected steel main and services were the most commonly used in the industry prior to 1970, and are more susceptible to corrosion and leaks. Excluding third party damage, the aged infrastructure accounts for more than 95 percent of all leaks found within NJNG’s system. Replacing this infrastructure will help to ensure the reliability of NJNG’s system and service to its customers.