Parts of park to close periodically for line work

BUSHKILL — The recreational use of some park facilities will limited or restricted periodically until April because of working being done on the Susquehanna to Roseland Transmission Line, according to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreational Area.

"These temporary restrictions are intended to protect the public, employees and construction workers from safety hazards associated with large scale construction activities," said park Superintendent John Donahue. "Safety is a top priority for the National Park Service, the utility companies, and contractors working on this project in the park. We are all working together to ensure that disruptions to the public are minimized to the greatest extent possible."

Two utility companies — PSE&G in New Jersey and PPL in Pennsylvania — are upgrading an existing transmission line and associated structures within their right-of-way in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The portion of the right-of-way that passes through the park is approximately five miles long and 150 feet wide and runs west to east from Bushkill and across the Middle Delaware Scenic and Recreational River to Hardwick Township, N.J., where it crosses the Pioneer and Hamilton Ridge Trails, Old Mine Road, Route 602 (Millbrook-Blairstown Road) and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail before cresting Kittatinny Ridge.

Over the course of several days in early November, the utility companies will remove the existing transmission lines and associated structures along the right-of-way. New structures will be erected during the winter, and the new transmission lines will tentatively be installed over the course of several days in February. During these periods, some park sites and facilities will be temporarily closed, or access may be limited to eliminate or reduce hazards associated with moving overhead wires and the use of heavy construction equipment, including cranes, large trucks and helicopters.

The size and scope of this project and the commensurate risks to the public, employees, and contractors during these phases of construction make it necessary to institute these temporary closures during wire removal and installation, the park service says.

In many cases, facility closures will only last for a few hours on a given day, but in some cases, it may be necessary to close an area for longer periods.

For more information visit www.nps.gov/dewa.