Minneapolis - 1st and 3rd Avenues NE - Project Updates

CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors are progressing. A crew from Michels Corporation will finish the project’s service line and meter work by Wednesday, June 15. Q3 Contracting will follow in the next couple of weeks to pour concrete, pave, and reopen 3rd Avenue NE back to traffic in this area. They will also restore the soft surfaces affected by Michels Corporation’s work.

More information will be provided closer to when the crews return to the project site to finish replacing the natural gas steel main. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work with municipalities.

CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will pause work on this project.

Michels Corporation will finish replacing a portion of the project’s natural gas steel main. This week, they have worked on the main on 3rd Avenue NE between Main Street and 6th Street NE. On Monday, June 13, they will move out to another project. Q3 Contracting will follow in the next couple of weeks to pour concrete, pave, and reopen 3rd Avenue NE back to traffic in this area. They will also restore the soft surfaces affected by Michels Corporation’s work.

More information will be provided closer to when the crews return to the project site. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work with municipalities.

A crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, replaced the project’s small-diameter natural gas plastic main. Another Michels Corporation crew is continuing to connect the natural gas service lines to the new main, following the previous crew’s route.

For the next several weeks, the third Michels Corporation crew will replace the main on 3rd Avenue NE from 5th to 6th Streets NE. During this time, the crew will close 3rd Avenue NE to through traffic. They will alternate closures from University Avenue NE to 5th Street NE, and from 4th to 6th Streets NE. Parking will be restricted where the crews are working.

A crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, is replacing the large-diameter natural gas steel main on 3rd Avenue NE between University Avenue NE and 5th Street NE, working east. The intersection of 3rd Avenue NE and 4th Street NE was closed this week, with restoration following behind.

A crew from Michels Corporation is replacing the large-diameter natural gas steel main on 3rd Avenue NE up to University Avenue NE. Tomorrow on Wednesday, May 18, the crew will begin crossing University Avenue NE. For the next several days, the crews will alternate the closing of lanes, crosswalks, and parking in the area as they move toward 4th Street NE.

From the week of May 9 to approximately Monday, May 30, a crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, will replace the natural gas plastic main under the south driving lane of 1st Avenue NE between 2nd Street NE and Main Street NE, in addition to under the east sidewalk or road of 2nd Street NE between 1st Avenue NE and Hennepin Avenue. During this time, parking will be restricted on the south side of 1st Avenue NE and on the east side of 2nd Avenue NE in these areas.

On Friday, May 6, a crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, will work on 1st Avenue NE. They will also work during business hours on Saturday, May 7. In the week of May 9, they will replace the natural gas plastic main under the south sidewalk of 1st Avenue NE between 4th Street NE and University Avenue NE and under the east sidewalk of University Avenue NE between 1st Avenue NE and Hennepin Avenue. During this time, parking will be restricted on the south side of 1st Avenue NE and the east side of University Avenue NE in this area.

On Friday, May 6, another Michels Corporation crew will begin replacing the project’s natural gas steel main. They will begin at the intersection of 3rd Avenue NE and Main Street NE, working toward University Avenue NE for the next three weeks. There will be no street parking available between Main Street NE and University Avenue NE until restoration is complete. Local access will be maintained on 3rd Avenue NE.

In the week of May 2, a crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, will begin replacing the natural gas main under the south sidewalk of 1st Avenue NE between 7th and 5th Streets NE. They anticipate replacing the main in this area into mid- or late May. They may work a few Saturdays to expedite the work. During this time, parking will be restricted on the south side of 1st Avenue NE and both sides of 6th Street NE in these areas. After 9:00 a.m., the crew will close the left driving lane of 1st Avenue NE and reopening the lane at the end of each work day.

A crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, are continuing to replace the project’s first of two natural gas mains on 3rd Avenue NE between University Avenue NE and 7th Street NE. They have closed one parking lane on the even-numbered side of 5th Street NE while maintaining two-way traffic. The crew plans to finish replacing the main in these areas and to remove the traffic signs from these areas early in the week of April 25.

In that week, the crew will begin replacing the main on the south side of 3rd Avenue NE between Main Street NE and 2nd Street NE. During this time, parking will be restricted on the south side of 3rd Avenue NE.

The crew plans to start replacing the main along 1st Avenue NE in early May.

As the crew progresses, they will temporarily restore the areas they excavated. This will include temporary asphalt in the road and gravel on the sidewalks. Q3 Contracting will permanently restore these areas after the gas work is done.

A second crew from Michels Corporation will begin connecting the service lines to the new mains, following the main crew’s route. The timing is to be determined. The crew may begin in the month of May. More information will be provided closer to that portion of the project’s timeline.

Since Monday, April 4, a crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, has been replacing the project’s first natural gas main on the south side of 3rd Avenue NE. They have put the main in the ground from University Avenue NE to 5th Street NE. They are continuing to locate underground public utilities along 3rd Avenue NE toward 7th Street NE.

Currently, eastbound traffic is closed on 3rd Avenue NE from University Avenue NE to 7th Street NE. Westbound traffic is open on 3rd Avenue NE. While parking is open on the north side of 3rd Avenue NE, it is closed on the south side.

The crews will move their traffic signs as they progress on the job. In the week of April 11, they plan to cross 5th Street NE. During this time, two-way traffic will be maintained on 5th Street NE as the crews work in one parking lane on the even-numbered side of 5th Street NE. The timing of construction is based on the crews’ replacing the main in relation to the existing underground utilities.

Pending weather and the crews’ progress, the crew plans to begin replacing the main on 1st Avenue NE between Wednesday, April 20 and Monday, April 25. They will start at 6th Street NE, heading west. More information will be provided closer to that portion of the project.

A crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, will begin replacing the project’s first of two natural gas mains on Monday, April 4. This main will be small-diameter plastic. The crew will begin on the south side of 3rd Avenue NE, working from University Avenue NE to 7th Street NE. During this time, they will close the eastbound lane of 3rd Avenue NE, leaving the westbound lane open. Through traffic can’t travel eastbound on this road. Parking will be restricted on 3rd Avenue NE and 100 feet on 4th Street NE north of 3rd Avenue NE.

From Monday, April 4 into summer or fall 2022, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will work in Minneapolis along the following streets: 3rd Avenue NE from Main Street NE to 7th Street NE; 1st Avenue NE from Main Street NE to 6th Street NE; and 6th Street NE from 1st to 3rd Avenues NE.

While Michels Corporation will replace two natural gas mains, connect natural gas service lines to the first new main, and move any inside meters outside, Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work. Access to parking lots and driveways will remain open.

The crews will close 3rd Avenue NE from University Avenue NE to 7th Street NE for two blocks at a time. On the remaining streets, the crews will close the lane, parking, and sidewalk on the side of the road where they’re working.

After the crews replace the first main and connect the service lines to that main, they will temporarily restore the areas that will be affected by the second main replacement. This may include asphalt on previously concrete areas. The soft surfaces may be restored before the steel main replacement. Final restoration will happen after the steel main is replaced.

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.