Rendering of how the new poles will look along Ocean Drive in Avalon. Rendering provided by Atlantic City Electric

Rendering of how the new poles will look along Ocean Drive in Avalon. Rendering provided by Atlantic City Electric

Here is an update on the utility pole replacement program along Ocean Drive.  Avalon officials attended the first scheduled weekly meeting on this program on Tuesday, November 17th.  The program is being provided by Atlantic City Electric.  Matrix is the contractor on the project used by Atlantic City Electric.

Currently caissons are being installed along Ocean Drive from the Peermont Substation north along the east side of Ocean Drive.  These caissons will hold the new steel poles that will replace the existing wooden poles in a pole for pole replacement program.  As of today, five caissons have been set in the ground in advance of the new poles.  What is visible to the public are the “sleeves” that will be underground inside the caisson that will support the new pole, not the pole themselves.  Caisson installation will continue on a Monday through Saturday basis, with no work on Sundays.  Caissons will be installed to 30th Street before the project makes a turn onto Avalon Boulevard.  It is possible that some of the initial poles will be installed as early as Wednesday-Thursday, November 18th-19th.  At first, only a one half section of the pole will be set followed by the rest of the pole set approximately one week later.  The first pole will be installed at approximately 58th Street.  No additional poles are needed with this pole for pole replacement program.  As the program moves forward, any disruption to the sidewalk will be repaired by the contractor.  The new steel poles are taller but approximately the same diameter as the existing wooden poles.  The poles will have the same “look” at the entry to the ground as the existing poles have.

Safety is an important factor with this project as much of the work is being done while lines and poles are energized.  Contractors and the general public are both asked to keep a safe distance from the work without compromise to the work space.  Verizon and Comcast have both completed their “make ready” work for their services to be transferred to the new poles.  It will take approximately four weeks to set all of the caissons to 30th Street with poles following right behind the caisson work.  It will take the contractor approximately eight visits to each pole to complete the work.  Please observe traffic detours and coned areas during this construction project.

Caisson set on Ocean Drive for new pole. The old wooden pole is on the left side of the picture. The circle where the traffic cone is placed represents the diameter and location of the new pole.

Caisson set on Ocean Drive for new pole. The old wooden pole is on the left side of the picture. The circle where the traffic cone is placed represents the diameter and location of the new pole.

On Fridays and Saturdays, unit crews will be joining the team for Matrix which will result in additional line work being done to get this project completed as quickly as possible.  The entire pole replacement program will be shut down from Wednesday, November 25th through Sunday, November 29th due to the Thanksgiving holiday and the special events occurring in Avalon during that time frame.  Note:  Matrix will be working on Wednesday morning, November 25th, on safety issues/related work.  All work will be suspended by Noon.

The pole replacement program has the support of the Mayor, Borough Council, Avalon Office of Emergency Management, and Avalon Fire Department.  Discussion on this pole replacement program began on this website in 2013; in August, 2015, Atlantic City Electric provided a full presentation to the community at the Avalon Home and Land Owners Association meeting at Avalon Community Hall.  A copy of the presentation along with graphical depictions of the new substation and pole program is included here in this PDF:

Peermont Substation and Pole Replacement Program Avalon NJ

Some facts regard­ing the new poles that will pro­vide elec­tri­cal trans­mis­sion on the 7 Mile Island:

–The wood poles that are being replaced are between 40–65 feet tall; the new steel poles will be 70–75 feet tall.

–The steel poles are nearly iden­ti­cal in diam­e­ter to the wood poles that are being replaced.

–Steel poles are elim­i­nat­ing the need for addi­tional poles includ­ing stub poles, push poles, and guy wires.

–Many por­tions of Ocean Drive are prone to flood­ing dur­ing severe coastal storms.  Keep­ing the trans­mis­sion above ground keeps essen­tial elec­tri­cal and com­mu­ni­ca­tion ser­vices away from ground water and flood­ing issues.  If wires were buried under­ground, it may take days to even begin diag­nos­ing where the fail­ure in the line occurred.

–Wires will be higher and more out of sight lines.  The poles will pro­vide a uni­form, clean appear­ance along Ocean Drive instead of the cur­rent poles that often are lean­ing and put wires closer to the ground.

–Steel poles can with­stand winds of 120mph pro­vid­ing for fewer and shorter power out­ages in the Bor­ough of Avalon.

Avalon Business Administrator Scott Wahl made a presentation to the Avalon Home and Land Owners Association regarding the Peermont and pole projects.  Here is the PDF that discusses all capital projects and other Borough issues in detail:  AHLOA Presentation Regarding Peermont and other Construction Projects NOV 14 2015