Minneapolis – Whittier Neighborhood

Anticipated timeline: Monday, April 29 into early summer 2024

Project resources

Project updates – Click here to see the crews’ progress.

If you contact CenterPoint Energy, please reference the project’s number 110706535.

For more information about CenterPoint Energy’s work throughout the state, please visit CenterPointEnergy.com/Construction.

Overview

In 2023, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors replaced natural gas lines in Whittier along 1st Avenue S. from Franklin Avenue to Lake Street E. and along select streets between Franklin Avenue, 26th Street W., Lyndale Avenue, and Nicollet Avenue.

From Monday, April 29 into early summer 2024, the crews will return to Whittier. Along the following streets, they will replace the natural gas mains, move inside meters outside by appointment, and replace and/or reconnect service lines to the new main:

22nd Street W. and 22nd Street E. from Blaisdell Avenue S. to 4th Avenue S.

Stevens Avenue S. from 22nd to 24th Streets E.

2nd Avenue S. from Franklin Avenue E. to 22nd Street E.

Along the following streets, the crews will only move inside meters outside by appointment and replace and/or reconnect service lines to the new main:

Stevens Avenue S. from Franklin Avenue E. to 22nd Street E. and from 24th to 26th Streets E.

3rd Avenue S. from Franklin Avenue E. to 22nd Street E.

Clinton Avenue S. from Franklin Avenue E. to 24th Street E.

25th Street E. from 1st Avenue S. to Stevens Avenue S.

24th Street E. from 1st Avenue S. to Stevens Avenue S. and from 3rd to 4th Avenues S.

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. This project is in conjunction with the City of Minneapolis’s Whittier North Residential Area ADA Pedestrian Ramp Upgrades and Resurfacing.

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.

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 plastic 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 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. For photo examples, please see 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.