Gas Leak Will Have Little To No Impact On South Park Street Redesign Project

The is not expected to impact the progress or even the costs associated with the South Park Street redesign project, officials said Tuesday.

The incident "obviously cost the project a day. Probably not a whole lot more, although they may want to go back and re-mark the gas lines, etc. if they are going to do any more digging," said Councilor Nick Lewis. "It is unlikely to create any serious delay and I would think that the impact on the cost would be nominal, if any."

Luther Flurry, executive director of the Montclair Center Businesss Improvement District, agreed, noting that the township would not be responsible for any additional costs associated with the gas leak.

"Assuming that there was a permanent repair by the time the roads were opened Monday, then the leak cost us one beautiful work day," he said. "If we were cutting it close, they we are cutting it closer, but not by a lot. I am still confident that traffic will be flowing in both directions on South Park Street by July 1."

A gas line break that resulted in a leak was reported near South Park Street and Bloomfield Avenue just after 8 a.m. on Monday.

The incident closed Bloomfield Avenue and Church Street for several hours and forced the evacuation of more than 100 people.

But the gas leak was capped by early afternoon and streets were reopened.

In March, the township broke ground on South Park Street streetscape improvements, intended to add a new center median, wide pedestrian-friendly sidewalks, a midblock crosswalk, and roadway resurfacing.

The new South Park Street will also feature some creative applications of materials. The new median will be constructed of granite blocks, most often used for curbs. Colorful new sidewalks will be made of concrete, and brick and granite pavers will be set in various patterns to create visual interest. The project is expected to be completed by July 1, 2012, township officials say.

Download South Park Street improvements plan here.

Work on the project began after the council awarded a contract for $901,581 to D&S Land Development in March for the improvement project.

The council also agreed to purchase $45,200 in decorative street lighting for the project from Turtle and Hughes Inc.

Last fall, the council voted to rebid the South Park Street redevelopment project, a scheme originally scheduled to be completed by Oct. 1, 2011.

That move was necessary, councilors said, after bids all came in last year at more than $1 million for a project originally slated to cost $750,000.

The council voted unanimously in October 2011 to allocate another $250,000 for the project and new bids were sought with an eye towards starting the project in the spring and completing it by July 1.