$175M PSEG Project In Hoboken Continues, May Affect Traffic

HOBOKEN, NJ — PSE&G is continuing with a $175 million project to upgrade and modernize Hoboken’s power grid, and upcoming work may affect local traffic, authorities said Monday.

According to a city news release, PSE&G will be working with the Hoboken Police Department on any traffic adjustments to “minimize inconvenience to residents.” There will be no expected service outages as a result of the activity.

City officials reposted the following message from PSE&G on December 17:

"In the coming weeks, Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) will begin installing new, sturdier utility poles in Hoboken along Madison Street, as part of the company’s efforts to enhance reliability… PSE&G will install new, approximately 60-foot poles and run electric wires along an existing pole line to accommodate the higher voltage."

Work kicks off Tuesday, Dec. 18 and will run until Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, PSE&G stated.

During work hours, parking restrictions may be instituted to accommodate construction equipment. Planned work hours will take place from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays and on some Sundays.

PSE&G added:

“From approximately, December 18, 2018 to January 4, 2019, crews will be working two blocks at a time, starting at Madison and Observer Highway and moving north. Please note, there will be no parking on both sides of the street. The right parking lane will be open for through-traffic during this phase of construction… At the conclusion of the overhead electric circuit construction, Verizon will transfer telecommunications and CATV infrastructure to the new poles before removing the old poles. For more information, call our Reliability Hotline at 1-800-901-5035, visit https://www.psegtransmission.com/your-town/Hoboken.”

According to city officials, the overall project involves consolidating the Marshall Street and Madison Street substations into one station on Madison Street, and elevating the station to protect it from flooding. The project will also upgrade the electric system infrastructure, which includes replacing power lines more than 50-years-old.

Hoboken officials previously said that the project would include a land swap through which the municipality would transfer the lot adjacent to the existing Madison Street Substation to PSE&G in exchange for the utility transferring the Marshall Street Substation property to the city.

PSE&G would also make a payment of $1.245 million to the municipality to compensate for the difference in the appraised value of the properties, as well as an annual "loss of use" payment of $275,250 until PSE&G has completed the decommissioning and remediation of the Marshall Street substation property, officials said.

• See related article: Hoboken Council Approves $175M PSEG Power Project

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