Edina - Blake Road from Belmore Lane to Lake Ridge Road - Project Updates

CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors are finishing the project. Minnesota Limited replaced the large-diameter natural gas steel main and put the existing steel main out of service.

Starting on Wednesday, June 29 and lasting into the week of July 4, a crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, will replace the natural gas main under the west side of Blake Road, starting at Interlachen Boulevard and ending at Lake Ridge Road. During this time, the crew will not close any sidewalks or roads. Flaggers will be on site.

This week, Q3 Contracting will restore the curbs along Blake Road at Parkwood Road and Schaefer Road. In the week of July 4, they will pave these areas. Over the holiday weekend, these areas will have temporary gravel.

CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors are finishing the Blake Road project by the end of this week or early in the week of June 27.

The crew from Minnesota Limited has finished testing the pressure of the new natural gas steel main. The remaining work includes putting the existing natural gas steel main out of service and restoring the areas back for traffic.

The crew opened the closures on Blake Road from Interlachen Boulevard to Mendelssohn Lane and at Waterman Avenue and Lake Ridge Road. This week, Blake Road will be reopened at Parkwood Road.

They have closed the intersection of Maloney Avenue and Blake Road for approximately one week.

This Friday, June 24, Q3 Contracting will blacktop the project’s remaining areas. This week or early in the week of June 27, the crew will restore the soft surfaces affected by Minnesota Limited’s work.

A crew from Minnesota Limited, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, has put all the project’s pipe in the ground. In the week of June 13, they will finish the project’s natural gas work on the large-diameter steel main.

On Monday, June 13, Q3 Contracting will pave Blake Road from Interlachen Boulevard to just south of Waterman Avenue.

Until Saturday, June 18, pending weather, Blake Road remains closed from Interlachen Boulevard to Mendelssohn Lane and at Lake Ridge Road.

On Tuesday, June 14 and Wednesday, June 15, the crew will test the new main’s pressure. Residents in the area may hear loud noises. On Tuesday, the crew will maintain two-way traffic on Blake Road at Maloney Avenue and at Parkwood Road, but Parkwood Road will be closed at Blake Road for the day.

We appreciate your patience as we finish this project! We are upgrading our natural gas lines, ensuring system reliability for years to come.

For approximately three weeks, Blake Road S. will continue to be closed from Interlachen Boulevard to Mendelssohn Lane. From Wednesday, June 8 to Friday, June 17, the crew from Minnesota Limited, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, will close Lake Ridge Road at Blake Road S. These closures will allow the crews to replace the natural gas main, restore the areas affected by construction, and reopen them to traffic. This concludes CenterPoint Energy’s project on Blake Road S. from Belmore Lane to Lake Ridge Road.

Today on Friday, May 27, the crew will pave Blake Road S. from Oak Bend Lane to Interlachen Boulevard. The traffic control will be removed from this area and from Parkwood Road at Blake Road S.

The existing closure remains on Blake Road S. from Waterman Avenue to Interlachen Boulevard. Traffic can drive through the intersections of Blake Road S. at Waterman Avenue and at Interlachen Boulevard. Residents can access their property in this area. Detour signs will lead through traffic to Excelsior Boulevard, Highway 100, and Interlachen Boulevard.

Beginning today on Monday, May 23, the crew has closed Blake Road S. from Waterman Avenue to Interlachen Boulevard and has closed Parkwood Road at Blake Road S. During this time, Blake Road S. will remain open at Parkwood Road.

The crew plans to open the Parkwood Road closure by the afternoon or Friday, May 27; Monday, May 30; or Tuesday, May 31. The crew plans to open the Blake Road S. closure in approximately three weeks.

Beginning tomorrow on Tuesday, May 17 and lasting for approximately two weeks, a crew from Minnesota Limited, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, will close Blake Road from Interlachen Boulevard to Oak Bend Lane. Detour signs will lead through traffic to Interlachen Boulevard and Vernon Avenue S. “Road Closed to Through Traffic” signs will be closed on Blake Road S. north and south of the closure.

On Wednesday, May 18, the crew will pave Blake Road from Oak Bend Lane to Lake Ridge Road and reopen it back for traffic.

Yesterday, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor removed the top layer of blacktop from the project’s site. Today on Tuesday, May 3, Minnesota Limited has begun replacing the project’s natural gas steel main for Phase 3 of 4. For approximately two weeks, Blake Road S. is closed from Interlachen Boulevard to Lake Ridge Road. They are beginning at Lake Ridge Road, working north. Local access is maintained. When the crew is finished replacing the main, the City of Edina will work on their Blake Road - 2022 Roadway Reconstruction project.

This week, a crew from Michels Corporation finished connecting the project’s service lines to the new small-diameter plastic main. On Monday, May 2, a crew from Minnesota Limited will begin replacing the project’s large-diameter steel main.

For approximately two weeks, the crews will close Blake Road between Interlachen Boulevard and Lake Ridge Road. Detour signs will direct through traffic to Interlachen Boulevard and Vernon Avenue S. Local access will be maintained.

In the week of April 25, a crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, plans to replace the project’s Phase 1 natural gas small-diameter plastic main on Blake Road from Interlachen Boulevard to 5020 Blake Road. In late May, the crew will return to Blake Road and Interlachen Boulevard to replace the main on the project’s remaining routes.

As the crew replaces the main, they will also connect the service lines to the new main and move inside meters outside. This is Phase 2 of the project’s four phases.

On Monday, May 2, a crew from Minnesota Limited, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, will begin the project’s Phase 3, which is replacing the large-diameter steel main. For approximately two weeks, they will close Blake Road to through traffic between Lake Ridge Road and Interlachen Boulevard. Detour signs will lead through traffic to Interlachen Boulevard and Vernon Avenue S.

In the summer at a time that is to be determined, a crew will replace a natural gas main on Blake Road from Mendelssohn to Maloney Avenues and will work on a regulator station at Maloney Avenue and Blake Road. The estimated duration is approximately two or three weeks for the natural gas work. Restoration will follow.

From the first week of April to early June 2022, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will work in Edina along Blake Road S. from Belmore Lane to Lake Ridge Road. While Michels Corporation will replace two natural gas mains, connect the natural gas service lines to the first main, and move any inside meters outside, Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work outside the limits of the City of Edina’s Blake Road - 2022 Roadway Reconstruction.

As the crews work on a few blocks at a time, they plan to close either lanes or blocks to through traffic. Parking on the road will be restricted in areas of active construction. Flaggers may be on site to help traffic flow. The crews will help residents maintain access. Residents can keep their garbage and recycling bins on their driveways. Trucks such as garbage and delivery will be able to access homes.

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 they 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.

On the soft surfaces such as boulevards and lawns, various erosion control measures keep the restored area moist, hold seed in the soil, and enhance seed germination. If an erosion blanket is needed it is secured in place with staples. The mesh is a wood fiber that will completely degrade. Prior to mowing the restored area, remove any loose staples that secured the blanket.