PG&E operates and maintains several gas transmission pipelines in the City of Watsonville. For the past seven years PG&E has been assessing the condition of the gas lines and developing a plan to improve the safety of the system. Ongoing construction is planned through mid-October.
In late June, PG&E started construction of the Pennsylvania Drive - Green Valley Road Gas Line Replacement Project. The project will replace an existing gas transmission line with a new line extending from Ramsay Park to Pennsylvania Drive between Main Street and Green Valley Road, and on Green Valley road between Pennsylvania Drive and Lawrence Avenue.
Tom Sharp, Senior Utilities Engineer for the City of Watsonville, elaborated on the endeavor, explaining that "this is a very important project PG&E is working on in our community. The old pipeline PG&E is replacing crosses residential neighborhood blocks from Main Street to Green Valley Road, running between homes, and is virtually inaccessible to maintenance crews. The new line however will be located in public streets where these utilities belong. The new placement will support the response time of future maintenance crews and enhance public safety."
Initially, two crews will construct a new pipeline in trenches at:
- Green Valley road and Pennsylvania Drive and work toward Lawrence Avenue, and;
- Pennsylvania Drive and Clifford and work toward Main Street.
Scheduled Sunday through Friday, the work will commence in evening hours, starting at 8:00 p.m. and concluding at 6:30 a.m.. This 10-hour, 6-day a week work schedule is intentionally designed to complete the project as efficiently and safely as possible. Additionally, working through the night will reduce traffic impacts.
While a portion of the project is located in nonresidential areas, the work region is also adjacent to residential neighborhoods. During construction, there will be jackhammers, backup beepers, among other construction noises. The work area will progress down the road over time and the noise impacts will last for a few nights. All efforts are scheduled to be completed by October 15, 2018.
The City is grateful for the patience of Watsonville residents throughout the completion of this vital project. If you have questions regarding this project, contact PG&E at (831) 479-5826.