Major Utility Project Along Coastal Highway Planned To Start This Week

Major Utility Project Along Coastal Highway Planned To Start This Week
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OCEAN CITY — In what will likely be the most visible project in Ocean City during this off-season, Delmarva Power released details today of its planned $10 million transmission line project along Coastal Highway.

The utility will rebuild a high-voltage transmission line along Coastal Highway from 41st to 85th streets starting this week with a completion date expected in February 2014.

The project will rebuild the existing 69,000 volt transmission line and involves the replacement of 90 wooden poles, most of which are more than 40 years old, according to Delmarva Power, with galvanized steel poles that require less maintenance and are built to withstand winds of up to 120 mph.

Nearly half of the existing utility poles are 65 feet tall and hold the 69,000-volt line. Delmarva Power reports, those poles will be replaced with 90-foot tall steel poles in order to achieve greater safety clearance from nearby buildings. The other shorter, wooden distribution poles are located in between the taller poles and will be replaced with steel poles of approximately the same height.

“We have coordinated the project with the Town of Ocean City, the Maryland State Highway Administration and other utilities to minimize the amount of noise and traffic disruptions during construction,” said Delmarva Power Region Vice President John Allen in a statement. “For safety reasons, residents should expect intermittent closure of right traffic and bus lanes in those blocks under construction.”

The rebuild of the line is targeted for completion by the end of February 2014. All post-project cleanup work will be finalized by mid-April of next year.