Minneapolis - Field, Regina, Northrop Neighborhoods - Project Updates

Steel main replacement along Columbus Avenue S. between 41 Street W. and 48 Street W. was completed in December of 2024. This marks the end of another phase in CenterPoint Energy’s long-term modernization effort throughout Field, Regina, and Northrop. Restoration done in the final months of 2024 is temporary due to low temperatures and will be replaced with permanent solutions as weather allows in 2025.

The next phase of infrastructure improvement in this region will begin in the spring of 2025. Updates will be provided prior to the presence of construction in the area.

Enjoy the winter months!

This week, in South Minneapolis, the following three intersections will be closed for steel gas main upgrades: Columbus Avenue S and 43rd Street W, Columbus Avenue S and 47th Street W, and Columbus Avenue S and 48th Street W. Construction on these intersections will be complete by the beginning of next week with restoration to follow. These are the final steps of CenterPoint’s infrastructure upgrades within the 2024 scope of this project.

Due to the colder temperatures, crews will perform temporary restoration with permanent solutions to come in the spring and summer of 2025 as weather conditions allow. Temporary restoration includes ensuring that roads and sidewalks are fit for snow removal this winter.

Thank you for your patience this construction season as we made important improvements to our natural gas distribution system. It is these projects that allow us to provide the safe reliable service you count on to keep you comfortable through Minnesota winters.

We value the privilege of having you as a customer and look forward to continuing to serve you. Have a wonderful winter!

Natural gas infrastructure construction is complete in the Town Oaks Townhomes area. Any remaining work to be done includes restoration of affected areas.

Due to the colder temperatures, crews will perform temporary restoration efforts throughout the fall with permanent solutions to come in the spring and summer of 2025 as weather conditions allow.

Thank you for your patience this season as we carried out important upgrades to our gas distribution system. Have a wonderful winter!

Columbus Avenue: Replacement of the steel main along Columbus Avenue S. continues, moving north toward 41st Street W. Currently, the intersection of 48th Street W. and Columbus Avenue S is closed and will remain closed until December 13. The intersection of 41st Street W. and Columbus Avenue S. will remain closed until December 6. Thank you for your patience.

Completion of gas service work is expected within the week of Nov. 18. Hard surface restoration has begun on perimeter streets, while sidewalk and grass restoration will take place a few weeks after the completion of services.

Due to colder temperatures, lawns and sidewalks will receive temporary restoration for the winter months with the goal of higher quality and more durable repairs in the spring and summer of 2025.

Construction crews continue to work on Columbus Avenue S. to replace the natural gas main underneath the street.

Beginning today, Oct. 23, traffic on 42nd Street E. will be closed at its intersection with Columbus Avenue S. Crews are currently working between 41st Street E. and 44th Street E. along Columbus Avenue S. and continue to move north.

Next Monday, Oct. 28, Columbus Avenue S. will be repaved between 43rd Street E. and 44th Street E., including intersections.

Throughout this week, a crew from Michel’s, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, plans to begin connecting service lines to the new main and moving inside meters outside by appointment on the following streets; On 43rd Street East and 44th Street East between 3rd Avenue South and 4th Avenue South as well as on 3rd Avenue South and 4th Avenue south between 43rd Street East and 44th Street East. Expect the service line and meter work within this square block to take approximately 5 weeks.

During this time, parking will be restricted within the Twin Oaks residential community parking lots. Please be aware that the sidewalks will also have panels removed and will be temporarily stabilized until restoration can take place a few weeks after the completion of service line and meter work. Thank you for your patience while we perform updates to our natural gas infrastructure.

As of this week, CenterPoint Energy authorized crews are working on Columbus Avenue S between 44th Street E and 47th Street E.

Next week, expect cross traffic on 46th Street E to open on Wednesday the 9th of October, ending the bus detour. Also on Wednesday the 9th, cross traffic on 44th Street E will close. Crews will work on Columbus Avenue S between 43rd Street E and 46th Street E, moving north.

We anticipate that construction on the natural gas main will be completed by early December. Following construction, CenterPoint's authorized restoration contractor will prepare the affected areas to be permanently restored when the weather allows.

Beginning on Monday, September 16 and lasting into October or November 2024, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will upgrade CenterPoint’s natural gas infrastructure in the Town Oaks Townhomes in Minneapolis.

Equix Integrity updates our records on the locations of sewer lines in relation to natural gas lines. Michels Corporation will replace the natural gas mains, move inside meters outside by appointment, replace and/or reconnect service lines to the new main. Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work.

The pipes used in these pipeline replacement and modernization projects are more resistant to corrosion and leakage, helping us continue to provide the safe, reliable service you count on that keeps you comfortable in your home. There will be no assessment or cost associated with our work.

From Monday, August 5 to late November 2024, a CenterPoint Energy authorized contractor, Michels Corporation, will replace a large-diameter natural gas steel main on Columbus Avenue S. from 41st Street E. to 48th Street E. They will install a natural gas vault at the northeastern corner of Columbus Avenue S. and 48th Street E. They plan to begin a closure at 40th Street E. and work south to their final closure at 49th Street E. Q3 Contracting and the City of Minneapolis will restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work. While the city will pave the roads, Q3 Contracting will restore the remaining areas.

Here are some bullet points about the anticipated traffic plan; this plan may be subject to change:

• Our road closure will be along Columbus Avenue between 40th Street E. and 49th Street E. in three-block segments with 1 or 2 back-to-back intersections closed to eastbound and westbound traffic at a time.
• We will temporarily pave each intersection as we complete our work.
• Vehicular traffic will be detoured from Columbus Avenue onto Chicago Avenue for the bulk of the project.
• We will have to close the intersection at 46th Street E. for up to one week. This includes time for our construction and restoration.
• The posted detour route will be along Chicago Avenue to 38th Street E. to Nicollet Avenue.
• We will need 2 to 3 days to cross the intersection and likely 2 to 3 days for restoration. This restoration may happen over a weekend.
• We will maintain access to pedestrian traffic along Columbus Avenue S.
• As we cross each intersection, we will alternate sidewalk closures for eastbound and westbound pedestrian traffic.
• Access to local businesses and residents will be maintained.
  

CenterPoint Energy has been and will continue to replace natural gas lines in the Bryant, Regina, Field, and Page Neighborhoods along Columbus Avenue S. into 2025. The schedule below is tentative and subject to change due to budget, weather, and crew availability.

Fall 2023 (Regina and Field): This year, the crews worked from 43rd Street E. to Minnehaha Creek. They replaced a small-diameter plastic main, transferred service lines to the new main, and moved inside meters outside.

Spring and summer 2024 (Regina, Field, and one block of Bryant): This work is planned from 41st to 48th Streets E. The crews will remove and replace a large-diameter steel main along this stretch, in addition to installing an underground vault at the intersection of Columbus Avenue S. and 48th Street E.

Summer and fall 2024 (Page): This work is anticipated from Minnehaha Creek to 54th Street E. The crews will replace a small-diameter plastic main, move inside meters outside by appointment, and transfer the service lines to the new main.

Spring and summer 2025 (Field and Page): This work is anticipated from 48th to 54th Streets E. The crews will remove and replace a large-diameter steel gas main. Although Columbus Avenue S. is anticipated to be the crews’ primary replacement corridor, they may seek realigning the Minnehaha Creek crossing on a different street.

CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors are continuing to work in the Field Regina Northrop Neighborhoods. Michels Corporation plans to finish replacing the 2023 project’s natural gas work in approximately three weeks.

While Q3 Contracting has been working a few blocks behind Michels Corporation to restore the areas affected by the gas work, they are beginning to put down winter restoration for all affected areas. They anticipate restoring all affected areas in October and November. On hard surfaces, residents will see temporary asphalt. On soft surfaces, they will see winter erosion control blankets. In 2024, they will return for permanent restoration. This will include the original condition of hard surfaces and black dirt, grass seed, and biodegradable netting on soft surfaces. We thank you tremendously for your patience.

On Columbus Avenue between 43rd and 50th Streets E., CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, Michels Corporation, has been moving inside meters outside by appointment and replacing and/or reconnecting natural gas service lines to the new natural gas main this fall. They estimate that this work should be finished in approximately three weeks. This work will include connecting the new main to the existing intersecting mains and putting the existing main out of service. They are currently on the 4800 block of Columbus Avenue and are working toward 50th Street E.

CenterPoint Energy’s other authorized contractor, Q3 Contracting, are following Michels Corporation’s route to restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work.

On soft surfaces, the crews are putting down winter erosion control blankets and will return in 2024 for permanent restoration, which will include black dirt, grass seed, and biodegradable netting.

On hard surfaces, they plan to permanently restore them. If their restoration continues into mid-November, weather permitting, they may put down temporary asphalt this year and permanent concrete in 2024.

We thank you tremendously for your patience as we upgraded our natural gas line infrastructure. We wish you a great season!

For three weeks beginning on Monday, August 14, a crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, plans to replace all the project’s small-diameter natural gas plastic main. This main is one portion of the project’s work. They will begin at 43rd Street E., working on approximately three blocks per week. As the crews move along the project’s route, they will restrict parking on both sides of Columbus Avenue S. This area will remain open to local traffic.

More information will be provided closer to when the second Michels Corporation crew will begin moving inside meters outside and replacing and/or reconnecting the service lines to the new mains. To read how we typically work on these lines, please check out the project’s web page here.

For several months beginning in the first week of August, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will work along Columbus Avenue between 43rd Street E. and Minnehaha Parkway in the Field-Regina-Northrop Neighborhoods.

Equix Integrity will update our records on the locations of sewer lines in relation to natural gas lines. Michels Corporation will replace natural gas mains, move inside meters to the outside of homes, and replace or reconnect service lines as needed. Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work. There will be no assessment or cost associated with our work.

Please expect lane, parking, and sidewalk closures where the crews are working. Flaggers may be on site helping direct traffic.

This project is in preparation for another CenterPoint Energy gas line replacement project to happen in 2024, when the crews plan to replace a large-diameter natural gas steel main. More information will be provided closer to that time.

From summer to fall 2023, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will work on two projects in the Field, Regina, Northrop Neighborhoods in Minneapolis. The first project will last for several months along Columbus Avenue from 43rd to 50th Streets E., starting in summer. The second project will last for several weeks in the fall on select streets in the Town Oaks Townhomes from 3rd Avenue S. to Oakland Avenue S. and from 43rd to 44th Streets E.

Equix Integrity will update our records on the locations of sewer lines in relation to natural gas lines. A natural gas contractor will move inside meters to the outside of homes and replace natural gas service lines as needed. Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by the gas contractor’s work. There will be no assessment or cost associated with our work.