A crew has replaced the natural gas steel main through Park Avenue. This area is being prepared for restoration. On Thursday, October 21, the crew plans to restore 27th Street E. from Chicago to Park Avenues.
The crew is replacing the main on 27th Street E. at Oakland Avenue, working west. On October 21, they plan to begin replacing the main on 27th Street E. at Portland Avenue and will continue working west.
The crew will continue to close 27th Street E. to through traffic in areas of active construction, detouring through traffic to the next block over. They plan to finish replacing the steel main within the second week of November. We appreciate your patience as we upgrade our natural gas lines.
A crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, has been replacing the natural gas steel main on 27th Street E., beginning at Chicago Avenue S. In the week of October 4, they will begin working west. From Friday, October 1 to approximately Friday, October 15, parking is restricted on the north and south sides of 27th Street E. from Chicago Avenue S. to just east of Park Avenue S. The crews plan to close the intersection of Columbus Avenue S. for at least one day, beginning on Friday, October 8. Q3 Contracting is following behind Michels Corporation to restore the areas affected by their work.
For approximately 8 or 9 weeks beginning in the week of September 20, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will work along 27th Street E. from Chicago Avenue S. to the Wells Fargo Mortgage Campus. While Michels Corporation will replace the natural gas steel main, Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work outside the limits of the City of Minneapolis’s Paving Project.
Since the crews weld the pieces of the pipe together, the steel main replacement requires open excavation. Time spent on each block will vary due to the size of the block, the steel offsets, the restoration preparation, and the weather. Below is the anticipated schedule:
Week 1 (week of Sept. 20): The crews will close a lane in the northeastern corner of the intersection of Portland Avenue S. and 27th Street E. and the intersection of Park Avenue S. and 27th Street E. During this time, vehicular traffic will flow in its usual directions, while bike lanes will merge with vehicular lanes. Sidewalk and parking closures will occur in these northeastern corners.
Weeks 2 and 3 (weeks of Sept. 27 and Oct. 4):
From Monday, September 27 to Thursday, October 7, the crews will close the intersection of 27th Street E. and Chicago Avenue S. to through traffic to replace the natural gas main. Access to Abbot Hospital will be maintained at all times. Through traffic will be detoured east on 28th Street E., north on Bloomington Avenue S., west on 26th Street E., and south on Portland Avenue S.
Week of September 27: From Monday, September 27 to Friday, October 1, the crews will close Clinton Avenue S. to through traffic just east of 3rd Avenue S. Local access will be maintained. Alley access will remain open.
Weeks 4 to 6: In the weeks of October 11 and 18, the crews will replace the natural gas steel main along 27th Street W., starting west of Chicago Avenue S. and heading toward the Wells Fargo Mortgage Campus. During this time, the crews will close 27th Street E. for a few blocks at a time. They will alternate the closures of crossing streets and maintain local access.
Week 7 (week of October 25): The crews will connect the new main to the existing intersecting mains and activate the new main with natural gas.
Week 8 (November 1): The crews will clean up the project area.