Olson Memorial Highway and 8th Avenue N. - Project Updates

One crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, is replacing the natural gas main on the north frontage road toward Logan Avenue N. By Monday, June 21, the crew will have replaced the project’s natural gas mains. Another Michels Corporation crew is continuing to connect the natural gas service lines to the new mains.

The construction crews and personnel will continue to use the Covid-19 Customer Permission Flyer, which requests customer permission prior to entering homes. Personnel, contractors and CenterPoint Energy employees will continue to practice CDC guidelines regarding social distancing, sanitary practices and wearing face masks when entering customer homes.

The customer will receive a CenterPoint Energy postcard in the mail typically within one or two weeks prior to the day when the Michels Corporation crews will perform the work. The crews will have CenterPoint Energy-authorized photo IDs stating that they are employees of Michels Corporation.

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 he arrives, he will leave a door tag with his contact information to schedule an appointment with him.

Customers are advised to set aside a two- to four-hour time frame for the inside-to-outside gas meter move. They are also advised to mark their privately-installed utilities such as dog fences or sprinklers. Marking can be accomplished with tools such as spray paint or utility flags. The foreman 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.

Customers with outside meters will be notified prior to the replacement or connection of the service lines to the new mains. Areas affected by our work will be restored to their original condition.

CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors are progressing. In approximately one week, crews from Michels Corporation will finish connecting the natural gas service lines to the new mains on Oliver Avenue N. before moving to the frontage road. Crews from Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work outside the limits of Metropolitan Council’s Metro Blue Line Extension project.

This week, crews from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, will replace the natural gas main on the north frontage road of Olson Memorial Highway. They will also remove the existing natural gas main from this area. Until June 11, the frontage road will be closed to through traffic. Detour signs will lead through traffic to the next block over.

From June 2 to approx. June 9, drivers can travel north and south on Newton, Morgan and Logan Avenues N. Parking will be restricted on both sides of Oliver Avenue N. From approx. June 9 to 11, the crews will close the intersection of Logan Avenue N. and the frontage road. There they will connect the new main to the existing intersecting main. Lane and sidewalk closures will alternate to maintain pedestrian access.

The crews have replaced the project’s other natural gas mains on 8th Avenue N. and Oliver Avenue N. They will connect the natural gas service lines in this area before moving to the frontage road.

Crews from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, have been replacing the natural gas main on 8th Avenue N. from Queen to Oliver Avenues N. since May 10. Today and tomorrow on May 17 and 18, the crews will replace the main on Oliver Avenue N. from 8th Avenue N. to the frontage road. After that, the crews will return to these areas to connect the new main to the existing intersecting mains. The closure on 8th Avenue N. will last until May 20. On May 21 the crews will begin replacing the main on the frontage road. This replacement will include a road closure from Logan to Oliver Avenues N.

From May 6 to mid- or late July 2021, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will work in Minneapolis along 8th Ave. N. between Queen and Oliver Avenues N.; Oliver Ave. N. between 8th Ave. N. and the north frontage road of Highway 55; and the north frontage road between Oliver and Logan Avenues N. While Michels Corporation will replace the natural gas main, connect the natural gas service lines to the new main, and move any inside residential meters outside, Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work outside the limits of Metropolitan Council’s Metro Blue Line Extension project.

Work will begin on 8th Ave. N. and Oliver Ave. N. before the north frontage road. For most of the project’s duration, there will be full closures of between 1 and 3 blocks at a time. Detour signs will lead through traffic to the next block or two blocks over. Local access will be maintained. Steel plates will be used as needed for driveway crossings. On each road, one sidewalk will remain open at a time.