Minneapolis – Central Neighborhood
Anticipated timeline: Summer and Fall 2024
- If you contact CenterPoint Energy, please reference the project’s work order number 111455555 for work on 4th Avenue S. or 111443510 for work on the rest of the project’s routes.
This summer and fall 2024, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will replace CenterPoint Energy’s natural gas infrastructure in the Central Neighborhood in Minneapolis. Equix Integrity updates our records on the locations of sewer lines in relation to natural gas lines. Michels Corporation will replace the natural gas plastic mains, move inside meters to the outside of homes by appointment, and replace and/or reconnect natural gas service lines. Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work. There will be no assessment or cost associated with our work.
Along the following streets, the gas crews will replace the natural gas mains, move inside meters outside by appointment, and replace and/or reconnect service lines to the main:
- 4th Avenue S. from 31st Street E. to 34th Street E.
- 31st Street E. from 2nd Avenue S. to 4th Avenue S.
- 34th Street E. from Clinton Avenue S. to 4th Avenue S.
- 35th Street E. from Clinton Avenue S. to the alley between Clinton Avenue S. and 3rd Avenue S.
- 36th Street E. from 2nd Avenue S. to 3rd Avenue S.
- Clinton Avenue S. from 35th to 36th Street E.
Along the following streets, the gas crews will only move inside meters outside by appointment and replace and/or reconnect service lines to the new main:
- 2nd Ave. S. from 31st St. E. to 32nd St. E., at 34th St. E., and from 35th St. E. to 36th St. E.
- 3rd Avenue S. from Lake Street E. to 36th Street E.
- Clinton Avenue S. from Lake Street E. to 33rd Street E.
- 4th Avenue S. from 34th Street E. to 36th Street E.
- 5th Avenue S. from 31st Street E. to 36th Street E.
- Oakland Avenue S. from Lake Street E. to 36th Street E.
- Columbus Avenue S. from Lake Street E. to 36th Street E.
- Chicago Avenue S. from Lake Street E. to 32nd Street E. and from 33rd Street E. to 36th Street E.
Traffic impacts
On the blocks where the crews are working, expect parking closures on both sides of the streets and a sidewalk closure on one side of the street. Some intersections will have partial closures with detours directing traffic to the next block over. The crews plan to close the following streets at times that will be determined: 3rd Avenue S. from 32nd Street E. to E. Lake Street; Clinton Avenue from 31st Street E. to E. Lake Street.; 33rd Street E. from 4th Avenue S. to 5th Avenue S.; and 34th Street E. from 4th Avenue S. to 5th Avenue S.
Marking utilities
CenterPoint Energy will contact Gopher State One Call 811 to locate public underground utilities such as water, sewer, and cable. You will see markings such as spray paint and utility flags. They will be color-coordinated to indicate a separate utility.
If you have installed any private lines such as sprinklers or dog fences, we ask that you mark them with whatever material is convenient for you. Examples include spray paint, flags, and wooden sticks used to stir paint. Marking sprinkler heads is sufficient.
If any utility flags are left in residents’ yards after the natural gas work and the restoration work is done, and the crew do not remove the flags, residents can remove the flags and throw them away.
Natural gas main work
The crew plans to bore the main underneath one sidewalk on each road. Please keep in mind that some intersections or some sidewalk panels at intersections may not be permanently restored until after the service line work is done. After all customers’ service lines are transferred to the new main, the crew can connect the new main to the existing intersecting mains and put the new main into service. Then the restoration crew will permanently restore these areas. Until then, customers may see temporary backfill such as dirt or gravel. We thank you for your patience!
Service line and meter work
The customer will receive a CenterPoint Energy postcard in the mail explaining the project before the natural gas crews perform the work. The crews will have CenterPoint Energy-authorized photo IDs. After the customer receives the postcard, the technician will arrive at the customer’s house to schedule an appointment that typically meets with the customer’s schedule. If the customer isn’t home when they arrive, they will leave a door tag with their contact information to schedule an appointment with them.
One natural gas crew typically works on about one block per week. They will either fully replace the service line or reconnect it to the new main, depending on the line’s age. For most properties, the crews remove at least one sidewalk panel in front of the house, excavate a hole by the outside meter, and bore the service line from the sidewalk to the house.
For inside meters, the crew will make a two- to three-hour appointment at a time that works with the resident. We encourage customers to work with the crew on where they want the meter to go, keeping limitations in mind such as a minimum of three feet away from areas such as windows, doors, and vents. Customers with outside meters will be notified prior to the replacement or connection of the service lines to the new mains.
The technician will access the natural gas meter inside the house, move the meter outside, and relight the natural gas appliance pilot lights after the new meter has been relocated.
Restoration
After the service line and meter work, the gas crew will backfill the excavated areas with dirt or gravel. This will be temporary before the restoration crew comes. On boulevards and lawns, they will refill the areas with black dirt, grass seed, and netting that degrades over about four months. Prior to mowing the restored area, remove any loose staples that secured the netting. For photo examples, please visit our
Restoration Practices page.
We hope to minimize the disruption as much as possible. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as we replace our infrastructure. We wish you a great season.
