​​​​​​​​​Mi​​​nneapolis – Uptown

 

What will CenterPoint En​ergy do?

From mid-May into early summer 2024, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will work in the Minneapolis neighborhoods of Uptown, Powderhorn, and Phillips to replace natural gas mains, move inside meters outside by appointment, replace and/or reconnect service lines to the new main, and restore the areas affected by this work outside the limits of Metro Transit’s B-Line Project. The crews will work on Lake Street between Drew Avenue S. and Hiawatha Avenue.

The pipes used in these pipeline replacement and modernization projects are more resistant to corrosion and leakage, helping us continue to provide the safe, reliable service you count on that keeps you comfortable in your home.

Along Lake Street between James Avenue S. and Dupont Avenue S., the crews will replace natural gas mains, move inside meters outside by appointment, and replace and/or reconnect service lines to the new main. Along Lake Street between Drew Avenue S. and Hiawatha Avenue, the crews will only move inside meters outside by appointment and replace some service lines.

Equix Integrity updates our records on the locations of sewer lines in relation to natural gas lines. Michels Corporation will work on the natural gas infrastructure. Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work. There will be no assessment or cost associated with our work.

Marking utilit​ies

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.

Between James Ave. S. and Dup​ont Ave. S. – Natural gas main work

The crews will replace two types of natural gas mains: a large-diameter steel main and a small-diameter plastic main. The replacements began in April and are expected to finish in June. During this time, the crews have been working within the traffic plans of Metro Transit’s contractor Thomas & Sons, keeping Lake Street open to traffic but closing the intersecting roads one at a time.

For the plastic main, the crew will bore the main under the south sidewalk of Lake Street from James Avenue S. to Dupont Avenue S. 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!

For the steel main, the crew needs to open trench the road to weld pieces of the main together. Traffic impacts will happen for a few blocks at a time. For most of the project, lane shifts will occur while maintaining one-way traffic on eastbound Lake Street. In some areas, an intersection may be closed with detours redirecting traffic to the next block over.

The crews will work with business owners on maintaining access to and from their businesses. Safety materials may include steel plates or pedestrian concrete barricades. Typical impacts during steel main replacement may include noise, dust, and vibrations.

Between Drew Ave. S. and Hiawatha Ave. – Service line and meter work

As the crew installs the new main, they will move inside meters outside by appointment and replace and/or reconnect service lines to the new main.
 
The business owner will receive a CenterPoint Energy postcard in the mail before the natural gas crews perform the work. The crews will have CenterPoint Energy-authorized photo IDs. After the owner 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 business, excavate a hole by the outside meter, and bore the service line from the sidewalk to the business.
 
For inside meters, the crew will make a three- to five-hour appointment at a time that works with the owners. We encourage owners 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.
 

Resto​ration

After the service line and meter work, the gas crew will backfill the excavated areas with dirt, gravel, or asphalt. This will be temporary before the restoration crew comes. Hard surfaces will be replaced with the same material that was affected. Boulevards will have 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. 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.​