Minneapolis – Field, Regina, Northrop Neighborhoods
- If you contact CenterPoint Energy, please reference one of the work order numbers:
- Project 1: 105568321 for work on Columbus Ave. S. in 2023
Overview
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.
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.
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.
Marking utilities
CenterPoint Energy will contact Gopher State One Call 811 to locate public underground utilities such as water, sewer, and cable. You will see markings such as spray paint and utility flags. They will be color-coordinated to indicate a separate utility.
If you have installed any private lines such as sprinklers or dog fences, we ask that you mark them with whatever material is convenient for you. Examples include spray paint, flags, and wooden sticks used to stir paint. Marking sprinkler heads is sufficient.
Small-diameter natural gas plastic main work
One crew will replace the small-diameter natural gas main. They plan to bore it underneath a sidewalk. Another crew will follow to work on the service lines and meters.
Please keep in mind that some intersections or some sidewalk panels at intersections may not be permanently restored until after the service line work is done. After all customers’ service lines are transferred to the new main, the crew can connect the new main to the existing intersecting mains and put the new main into service. Then the restoration crew will permanently restore these areas. Until then, customers may see temporary backfill such as dirt or gravel. We thank you for your patience!
Large-diameter natural gas steel main work
The crew will replace a large-diameter natural gas steel main. The crew needs to open trench the road to weld pieces of the main together. Although the traffic impacts are to be determined, please expect lane, parking, and/or road closures for one to a few blocks at a time. The crews will work with residents on maintaining access to and from their homes.
Service line and meter work
The customer will receive a CenterPoint Energy postcard in the mail explaining the project before the natural gas crews perform the work. The crews will have CenterPoint Energy-authorized photo IDs. 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 arrive, they will leave a door tag with their contact information to schedule an appointment with them.
One natural gas crew typically works on about one block per week. They will either fully replace the service line or reconnect it to the new main, depending on the line’s age. For most properties, the crews remove at least one sidewalk panel in front of the house, excavate a hole by the outside meter, and bore the service line from the sidewalk to the house.
For inside meters, the crew will make a two- to three-hour appointment at a time that works with the resident. We encourage customers to work with the crew on where they want the meter to go, keeping limitations in mind such as a minimum of three feet away from areas such as windows, doors, and vents. Customers with outside meters will be notified prior to the replacement or connection of the service lines to the new mains.
The technician 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.
Restoration
After the service line and meter work, the gas crew will backfill the excavated areas with dirt or gravel. This will be temporary before the restoration crew comes. On boulevards and lawns, they will refill the areas with black dirt, grass seed, and netting that degrades over about four months. Prior to mowing the restored area, remove any loose staples that secured the blanket. For photo examples, please visit our
Restoration Practices page.
We hope to minimize the disruption as much as possible. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as we replace our infrastructure. We wish you a great season.
