Minneapolis – Hale Neighborhood
Anticipated timeline: spring to fall 2023
- Project 1 : 52nd St. E.: Thursday, May 4 into June 2023
- Project 2: Select streets throughout Hale Neighborhood: Early June into September 2023
- Project 3: Mid-August into late fall 2023
- Project 4: Late September into late October or early November, pause in winter, and resume in 2024 for a couple of months
- If you contact CenterPoint Energy, please reference one or more of the work order numbers:
- Project 1: 104945232
- Project 2: 106207640
- Project 3: 106579152
- Project 4: 108753408
Overview for all projects
From spring to fall 2023, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will work in the Hale Neighborhood in Minneapolis. Equix Integrity will update our records on the locations of sewer lines in relation to natural gas lines. Michels Corporation will replace natural gas mains, move inside meters to the outside of homes, and replace or reconnect service lines as needed. Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work. There will be no assessment or cost associated with our work.
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.
Project 1: 52nd St. E. from Chicago to Bloomington Avenues S.
On Thursday, May 4, a crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, will begin replacing the natural gas main under the north sidewalk of 52nd Street E. between Chicago and Bloomington Avenues S. They anticipate that the main replacement (in addition to the service line and meter work) on this road will take approximately six weeks. They are starting at Chicago Avenue S., working east.
During this time, parking will be restricted on the north side of 52nd Street E. in this area. The crew will have a closure at each intersection between Chicago and Bloomington Avenues S. At one or a few intersections at a time, drivers will be unable to turn from 52nd Street E. onto these intersections. These interruptions will last for approximately one day each.
Project 2: Select streets from 49th to 58th Streets E. and from 14th Ave. S. to Cedar Ave.
From spring to fall 2023, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will work along the following streets:
- 17th Avenue S. from 49th to 52nd Streets E.
- 52nd Street E. from 17th Avenue S. to Bloomington Avenue S.
- Bloomington Avenue S. from 52nd to 54th Streets E.
- 54th Street E. from Bloomington Avenue S. to Edgewater Boulevard
- Edgewater Boulevard from 54th to 55th Streets E.
- 55th Street E. from Edgewater Boulevard to 14th Avenue S.
- 15th Avenues S. from 55th to 58th Streets E.
- 58th Street E. from 14th Avenue S. to Cedar Avenue S.
Small-diameter natural gas plastic main work
From mid-June into mid-July, a Michels Corporation crew will replace a small-diameter plastic main on the following streets:- The east side of 15th Avenue S. from 55th to 58th Streets E.
- The south side of 49th Street E. from 17th to 18th Avenues S.
- The east side of 17th Avenue S. from 49th to 52nd Streets E.
- The north side of 52nd Street E. from Bloomington Ave. S. to 17th Ave. S.
For most of the work mentioned above, the crew will work on one side of the road as they bore the main under the sidewalks. Unless otherwise noted, expect lane, parking, and sidewalk closures on the side where the crews are working.
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 foreman 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 blanket.
Project 3: Large-diameter natural gas steel main work for select streets from 49th to 58th Streets E. and from 14th Ave. S. to Cedar Ave.
From Monday, August 14 into this fall, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, Michels Corporation, will replace a large-diameter natural gas steel main on the following streets:
- 17th Avenue S. from 49th Street E. to 52nd Street E.
- 52nd Street E. from 17th Avenue S. to Bloomington Avenue S.
- Bloomington Avenue S. from 52nd Street E. to 54th Street E.
- 54th Street E. from Bloomington Avenue S. to Edgewater Boulevard
- Edgewater Boulevard from 54th Street E. to 55th Street E.
- 55th Street E. from Edgewater Boulevard to 15th Avenue S.
- 15th Avenue S. from 55th Street E. to 58th Street E.
- 58th Street E. from 15th Avenue S. to Cedar Avenue S.
- 53rd Street E. from Bloomington Avenue S. to 14th Avenue S.
During this time, a few blocks will be closed for a few weeks at a time. Residential access will be maintained. Steel plates may be used for driveway crossings. The crews plan to maintain two-way traffic on Bloomington Avenue S.
CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, Q3 Contracting, will follow behind the gas crews to permanently restore the affected areas. Although we plan to permanently restore everything this year, if the weather is not conducive for permanent restoration in the late fall, Q3 Contracting will put temporary asphalt on the hard surfaces and erosion control blankets on boulevards and lawns. They will return in the spring for permanent restoration.
What is the crew’s anticipated timeline?
From mid-August to mid-December, Michels Corporation has been and will continue to replace a large-diameter natural gas steel main. They replaced the main along the following streets:
- 15th Avenue S. from 55th Street E. to 58th Street E.
- 17th Avenue S. from 49th Street E. to 52nd Street E.
- 54th Street E. from Bloomington Avenue S. to Edgewater Boulevard
- Bloomington Avenue S. from 52nd Street E. to 54th Street E.
- Edgewater Boulevard from 54th Street E. to 55th Street E.
- 55th Street E. from Edgewater Boulevard to 15th Avenue S.
Into mid-December, they will replace the main along the following streets:
- 58th Street E. from 15th Avenue S. to Cedar Avenue S.
- 52nd Street E. from 17th Avenue S. to Bloomington Avenue S.
- 53rd Street E. from Bloomington Avenue S. to 14th Avenue S.
Into late December, Q3 Contracting has been and will continue to put down temporary winter restoration on the affected areas. For the soft surfaces, the crews have been putting down a winter erosion control blanket. For the hard surfaces, the crews have been pouring temporary asphalt. In 2024, they will return for permanent restoration.
Project 4: Moving Inside Meters Outside in Diamond Lake
What will CenterPoint Energy do?
This fall, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will begin a fourth project in the Hale Neighborhood. The project will last from late September into late October or early November, pause for winter, and resume in 2024. While Michels Corporation will work on the natural gas lines and meters, Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work. This year, the work will happen on the following streets:
- 54th Street E. from 12th to 14th Avenues S.
- 12th Avenue S. from 54th to 59th Streets E.
- 13th Avenue S. from 54th to 58th Streets E.
Next year, the work will happen on the following streets:
- 14th Avenue S. from 55th to 58th Streets E.
- Bloomington Avenue S. from 56th to 58th Streets E.
- 16th Avenue S. from Edgewater Boulevard to 57th Street E.
- Edgewater Boulevard from 54th Street E. to Nokomis Lane
What is the crew’s progress?
Early October: A crew from Michels Corporation has been moving inside meters outside by appointment and replacing some natural gas service lines on 12th Avenue S. In approximately three weeks, they plan to finish their work between 54th and 59th Streets E. During this time, there are no road or sidewalk closures.
Mid-October: For approximately one week, a Michels Corporation crew will work on 54th Street E. between 12th and 14th Avenues S. They will replace a natural gas main, move inside meters outside by appointment, and replace and/or reconnect the service lines to the new main. During this time, they will have lane, sidewalk, and parking closures while keeping two-way traffic. If one sidewalk is closed, the other stays open. When they connect the new main to the existing intersecting mains along 12th and 13th Avenues S., they may close these blocks one at a time between 54th and 55th Streets E.
Mid- and late October: A Michels Corporation crew will move inside meters outside by appointment and replace some natural gas service lines on 13th Avenue S. between 54th and 58th Streets E. During this time, there may be parking and sidewalk closures.
Restoration: Q3 Contracting has been following Michels Corporation’s route. Although they plan to permanently restore the affected areas this year, they may put down winter erosion control if temperatures aren’t conducive for permanent restoration. This will include asphalt on previously concrete areas and erosion control blankets on lawns and boulevards. In spring 2024, they will return to restore these areas to their original condition.
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.
