Edina - Kemrich and Fleetwood Drives - Project Updates

A crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, finished connecting the natural gas service lines to the new mains. They are putting the existing mains out of service. This concludes the project’s natural gas work. As of today on Tuesday, November 9, they left the job site.

Q3 Contracting, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, will follow to put winter erosion control on the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work. On boulevards and lawns, they will backfill any excavated areas with dirt and netting. In spring 2022, they will return with black dirt and seed.

We appreciate your patience as we upgrade our natural gas lines, ensuring system reliability for years to come.

A crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, finished replacing the project’s natural gas mains in late September. Since the week of October 11, they have been connecting the service lines to the new mains. They have finished the service line work on Lanham Lane and are working on Fleetwood Drive from Lanham Lane toward Kemrich Drive.

Tomorrow on Friday, September 3, the crews will begin replacing the project’s natural gas mains. They will begin on Lanham Lane at Kemrich Drive, working north on Lanham Lane for a few business days. No work will happen from Saturday, September 4 to Monday, September 6. Work will resume on Tuesday, September 7.

After the main is replaced on Lanham Lane, the crews will replace the main on Fleetwood Drive, starting at Lanham Lane and working south to Kemrich Drive. While the crews are replacing the mains, parking will be restricted in areas of active construction. Over the weekend, traffic control devices will remain in areas of open excavation.

Beginning late in the week of August 23 and lasting into fall 2021, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will work in Edina. While Michels Corporation will replace the natural gas mains, connect the natural gas service lines to the new mains, and move any inside residential meters outside, Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work.

During this time, lane or parking closures may occur along the following streets: Kemrich Drive from Shannon Drive to Tara Road; Shannon Drive north of Kemrich Drive; Fleetwood Drive between Kemrich Drive and Lanham Lane; Lanham Lane from Kemrich Drive to Fleetwood Drive; and Tara Road at Kemrich Drive.

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.

Crews from Q3 Contracting, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, will follow to restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work, including hard and soft surfaces. 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.