Union Beach Wind Turbine Components to Travel Through Matawan Week of July 23

Trucks carrying the parts for the controversial wind turbine construction project at the Bayshore Regional Sewage Authority (BRSA) facility in Union Beach are slated to pass through Monmouth County the week of July 23. Because of the oversized loads, however, some traffic delays can be expected.

The Conti Group, the project delivery group hired by BRSA, will transport the massive wind turbine materials from Newark to Union Beach by passing through Old Bridge and connecting to Marlboro where it will head east on county road 520 and turn up Wyncrest Road toward Route 79. It wll follow 79 into Matawan, where it will go through Main Street, over the NJ Transit train tracks and turn right on the Route 35 to head through Hazlet toward Union Beach. The seemingly odd route was chosen to help offset costs. 

"It's not likely that we will damage anything, but we're taking every precaution," Conti project manager Eric Millard told Patch. He also said that the route has been carefully mapped out and town officials have given approval. Although they will be carrying oversized loads, the trucks will "not be any heavier than regular concrete trucks that you see in the area."

The Matawan Borough Council to authorize Mayor Paul Buccellato to sign an agreement with Conti Enterprises to approve the transportation of wind turbine components through the borough at an April 2012 council meeting. Conti bonded $250,000 to cover all costs for the replacement of any infrastructure that has the potential to be damaged, and a maintenance bond for $250,000 will remain in place for a period of two years.

The Union Beach Borough Council authorized a special counsel in late June to seek an injunction from the state Superior Court that would block the transport of the wind turbine, but so far no hearing date for the injuction has been set.

"We do have a set schedule that we're following," he continued, but would not say which exact dates the delivery would be made aside from the fact that they would start on July 23. According to a June 27 article from National Wind Watch, however, the parts will be delivered "over the course of 7-10 business days, Monday through Thursday, between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m."

According to a press release from Marlboro Police Capt. Steve Menonna, the turbine is divided into three different sections, and each section will be transported along the route on different days throughout the week.The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office will escort each transport, and traffic control will be provided by local police officers. The release also said that traffic delays may be experienced "as utility wires and traffic light arms are moved to allow this oversized load to pass."