By Christian Olivo
With a welcome sign that reads “Expect to be Charmed,” it was not long before the phrase “Expect to be Detoured” was coined by the locals of New Egypt. The construction of the Southern Reliability Link (S.R.L.) made its first appearance on the roads of New Egypt in November of 2018. It continued its progress throughout the midst of some of the busiest summer months of 2019. Despite protests and heavy shore traffic, this 30-mile long connection between the New Jersey Natural Gas network and the interstate transmission lines, construction continued.
Driving down some of the busier roads in town, such as Pinehurst Road, Lakewood Road and Evergreen Road, it is obvious that despite the installation of the SRL, there were immediate effects on the motorists traversing New Egypt. The three roads listed are no longer just the home of commuters and school buses, but now also home to the uneven pavement and tire tracks from heavy machinery. As the construction begins to clear up, there is no real idea of when these temporary road closures will stop.
Although one phase of the SRL Construction is coming to an end, students’ everyday routines continue to change. In speaking with the staff and students of New Egypt there has been a variety of different responses such as “ the construction is unfortunate because I have to wake up earlier,” “I have 5 lates already because of the temporary roads,” and “Although the construction can be a hassle at times, I don’t mind because it has supplied my family members with a job close to home.”
Sydney Orndorff, a Junior here at New Egypt High School, stated, “The installation hasn’t personally affected me, but my parents are often inconvenienced when driving. I’m actually not sure who provides my family’s natural gas. This seems like a lot of trouble for something that isn’t benefiting everyone.”
