Cars To Be Banned From Toms River Barrier Island For Gas Restoration

Toms River's barrier islands will be closed to traffic from this Saturday, December 8 until Tuesday, December 18 as New Jersey Natural Gas crews will be making critical repairs to their systems.

Boardwalk in Seaside Park (Governor's Office/Tim Larsen)

This is an important step in service restoration as NJNJ charges the gas lines wit low pressure to check for leaks according to the Township website. Pressure will then be raised slowly as crews check for leaks again.

In order for service to be restored safely, there cannot be any source of ignition in the area such as a car.

According to a statement from NJNG, “As soon as an area has been successfully re-pressurized, a second team will begin meter rebuilds for that area. Once a meter has been re-established and you see a tag on the customer gas valve just past your meter, your home’s natural gas service may be turned on by your qualified technician--but only after electricity has been restored, and your qualified technician has determined that your natural gas equipment is safe to operate.

Some who have been without service since the storm hit may see restoration by the end of the month.