O&R: MONTEBELLO ROAD DETOUR FOR KEY ELECTRIC WORK

O&R is planning to close about a mile of Montebello Road on Tuesday and Wednesday this week in order to complete an electric system storm-hardening project that is designed to make the area’s electric service more reliable by making it more resistant to weather-related damage.

The successful completion of the $2.4-million project will require Montebello Road’s closing between Hemion Road and River Road on August 26 and Aug 27 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The project will relocate one of two existing overhead electric circuits that run along this section of road for 6,300 feet. The circuit will be re-routed underground into two, six-inch conduits that will be encased in cement. That will protect the underground circuit in a location where O&R equipment is frequently damaged in heavy storms. The remaining circuit will remain on the pole.

This project is part of an ongoing storm hardening program that was started last year to reduce electric outages. One of the major components of that plan is to reduce outages by undergrounding select circuits at strategic locations where multiple overhead circuits now are mounted on distribution poles.

When completed, the project will improve electric service to O&R residential and commercial customers in Montebello, Ramapo, Suffern, Wesley Hills and Airmont.