Wildwood is a resort city located in Cape May County, New Jersey which is popular among tourists and vacationers from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New York. The City of Wildwood is home to the Wildwoods Convention Center and over 200 motels. Population in the Wildwoods can increase from 5,000 residents during the off-season to 250,000 residents during the summer months. Because of the rhythmic change in population throughout the year, utility companies in the area must constantly evaluate their efficiency in supplying services to their customers.
South Jersey Gas, a supplier of natural gas throughout seven counties in Southern New Jersey, began evaluation of their existing supply of natural gas to the Wildwoods in late 2008. A plan was created to increase the supply to the residential community of the City of Wildwood for future growth. A contract established between South Jersey Gas and J. Fletcher Creamer & Son, Inc (JFC) solidified the plan to build a new, larger diameter, gas main extending from the town of Rio Grande in Middle Township to the City of Wildwood in Lower Township.
The proposed 12” diameter gas main would replace the existing 8” diameter gas main currently servicing the residents of the City of Wildwood. To accomplish this upgrade, JFC would install approximately 15,000 linear feet of 12” steel gas main, build a new regulator station, and tie into / shut down the existing 8” gas main in the City of Wildwood.
JFC used both trenching and trenchless technologies to install the new 12” steel gas main. The installation of the gas main begins at the intersection of State Highway 9 and State Route 47 in Rio Grande and extends East on route 47 into Wildwood City. Along its path, the pipeline crosses both entrance and exit ramps for the Garden State Parkway (GSP) and a waterway known as the Grassy Sound Channel before ending on a residential street in Wildwood. In order to successfully cross the GSP ramps, JFC used the jack and bore technique. This technique eliminates the need to disturb traffic exiting and entering the GSP while safely and efficiently moving the pipe under the ramps.
The Grassy Sound Channel, approximately 2000 linear feet wide, added another challenge to the project. To ensure adequate protection of the pipeline under the waterway, a horizontal directional drill was used to install the gas main approximately 40 linear feet below grade.
JFC also built a regulator station west of the Grassy Sound Channel to provide an additional safety device within the pipeline. The pressure in the downstream system in Wildwood can be maintained at a safe value through the use of this regulator station.
The pipeline ends at the eastern shoreline of the Grassy Sound Channel on a residential street in Wildwood. At this point JFC connects the new 12” gas main to an existing 8” gas main continuing through the City of Wildwood and subsequently shuts down the stretch of the 8” main that has been replaced by the new pipeline. Once the old 8” pipeline is shut down, the new 12” steel gas main is gassed up and ready to supply a greater service to the City of Wildwood. |
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Location: Middle Twp, Lower Twp, & Wildwood City, Cape May County, NJ
Owner: South Jersey Gas
Completion Date: June 2010
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