Sea Bright in Monmouth County, one of the hardest-hit in New Jersey by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, will serve as a model "Resilient City" for other communities on how to plan for future storms.

Photo courtesy of Congressman Frank Pallone's Office
Photo courtesy of Congressman Frank Pallone's Office
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Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. D-N.J. 6th District, and partners from the public and private sectors, unveiled plans this week on steps that New Jersey utility companies are taking in Sea Bright to prevent an interruption of basic services, similar to breakdowns that occurred in the aftermath of Sandy.

"New Jersey Natural Gas installed a new distribution pipeline because the gas pipeline was a major problem in Sea Bright, in the weeks after Sandy, and then JCP&L raised an electrical substation to avoid storm damage," said Pallone.

Pallone noted an initiative announced by Verizon to deploy new infrastructure in Sea Bright, including a new form of network architecture involving smaller nodes, rather than traditional large towers, as probably the most interesting.

"The nodes will form a new generation of wireless network throughout the region, so that's starting in Sea Bright, but it's going to be done throughout the shore area ultimately," Pallone said. He noted all of the steps are innovative ways that will provide gas, electric and communication services that didn't really before in Sea Bright.

Sea Bright
Sea Bright after Sandy (YouTube)
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"Many of them can be used, particularly the communications one, in other towns around the region, or even around the country, but we're focusing on the shore area," said Pallone.

"If you have a more resilient pipeline for natural gas, if you have a better electricity grid, if you have a better wireless service, then hopefully you don't lose communications and these various utilities in the event of another storm, because that was one of the major problems, not only in Sea Bright, but throughout the areas that were hit hard by Sandy."

Contact reporter Dianne DeOliveira at Dianne.DeOliveira@townsquaremedia.com.

 

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