Minneapolis - Lyndale Avenue S. from 54th to 61st Streets W. - Project Updates

CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors are finishing the project. Last week, Minnesota Limited finished the project’s natural gas work. This included replacing the large-diameter natural gas steel main.

This week, Q3 Contracting will continue replacing the concrete base and curb on Lyndale Avenue north of 61st Street W. The City of Minneapolis is scheduled to pave Lyndale Avenue S. on Thursday, August 25.

CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors, Minnesota Limited and Q3 Contracting, are planning to finish most if not all the project by late August.

Lyndale Avenue S. is currently open one-way heading southbound between 58th and 61st Streets W. Currently, 60th Street W. is closed on the east side of Lyndale Avenue S. Lyndale Avenue S. is closed from 58th Street W. to the merger with County Road 121 while maintaining local traffic. The intersection of 56th Street W. is open.

Minnesota Limited replaced the large-diameter natural gas steel main on Lyndale Avenue S. from 59th to 60th Streets W. and is working toward 61st Street W. early this week. They are removing the existing steel main from 60th to 61st Streets W.

On Tuesday, August 9 and Monday, August 15, the crew will return to the intersections of Lyndale Avenue S. and 54th Street W. and 61st Street W. respectively to connect the new main to an existing intersecting main. During these times, a lane will be closed while two-way traffic will be maintained. The expected duration of the lane shift is approximately two weeks; this duration will include the road’s restoration.

Q3 Contracting is replacing the curb from 56th to 58th Streets W. Today on Monday, August 8 and tomorrow on Tuesday, August 9, they will pour the concrete base on Lyndale Avenue S. from 58th to 59th Streets W. They will continue to work south. The City of Minneapolis is scheduled to pave these areas from Thursday, August 11 to Friday, August 12. Two-way traffic will be opened in this area when work is complete.

The crew from Minnesota Limited, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, is currently replacing the natural gas steel main on Lyndale Avenue S. across W. 58th Street and working to the south. The crew began removing asphalt, concrete, and the existing main south of W. 58th Street. The City of Minneapolis will be paving the base from W. 56th Street to W. 57th Street this Wednesday, July 27. This area will remain closed to through traffic as it still needs curb. Local traffic is being maintained.

CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors, Minnesota Limited and Q3 Contracting, are continuing to replace the large-diameter natural gas steel main and restore Lyndale Avenue S. respectively. The City of Minneapolis is paving the final layer of asphalt after the gas work is done.

The crew is continuing to replace the large-diameter natural gas steel main from 56th Street W. working south. They closed a lane in the southeastern corner of Lyndale Avenue S. and 58th Street W.

Today on Monday, July 18, the intersection of 55th Street W. and Lyndale Avenue S. is opened, and two-way traffic is restored up to 54th Street W. From today until Monday, July 25, 56th Street W. will be closed on the east side of Lyndale Avenue S.

On Thursday, July 21 and Friday, July 22, the City of Minneapolis will pave from 55th to 56th Streets W.

Beginning on Monday, July 25 and lasting for approximately four weeks, the crew will close the northbound lanes of Lyndale Avenue S. from 58th to 61st Streets W. Beginning on Monday, July 25 and lasting for approximately two weeks, 58th Street W. will be closed on the east side of Lyndale Avenue S.

A crew from Minnesota Limited, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, is replacing a large-diameter natural gas steel main on Lyndale Avenue S. from 54th to 55th Streets W. They are also removing the existing main from 55th to 56th Streets W. They will continue to work south of 56th Street W.

On Thursday, July 14 and Friday, July 15, the City of Minneapolis will pave Lyndale Avenue S. from 54th to 55th Streets W. This section will be reopened on Monday, July 18. The east side of 56th Street W. will be closed at Lyndale Avenue S. on Monday, July 18.

Starting on Tuesday, July 5 and lasting into fall 2022, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will work on Lyndale Avenue S. from 54th to 61st Streets W. While Minnesota Limited will replace a large-diameter natural gas steel main, Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by Minnesota Limited’s work and will reopen the road back to traffic.

Minnesota Limited plans to work on two blocks at a time for approximately two to three weeks at a time. Traffic impacts will vary from lane shifts to closures. Since the crews weld the pieces of the pipe together, the steel main replacement requires open excavation and takes longer to install than the small-diameter plastic main. Time spent on each block will vary due to the size of the block, the steel offsets, the restoration preparation, and the weather.

On Tuesday, July 5, the crew will begin from 54th to 56th Streets W. with a lane shift. Our website will be updated throughout the project’s timeline.

A crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, finished replacing the project’s natural gas main. On excavated areas, they’ve put down gravel or traffic cones temporarily before the service line and meter work.

On Monday, April 25, a different Michels Corporation crew will begin connecting the service lines to the new main and moving inside meters outside. They plan to begin at 61st Street W., moving north. Depending on their progress, they may work all throughout the project’s route. The crew anticipates that all the project’s service line and meter work will take approximately one month to complete.

In early July, a third Michels Corporation crew will begin replacing the project’s natural gas steel main. They plan to begin at 54th Street W., working south. They anticipate that the steel main replacement should finish in mid-fall.

A crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, replaced the project’s natural gas main on Lyndale Avenue S. from 58th to 56th Streets W. On Monday, April 11, this road will open back to normal traffic.

That same day, the crew will begin replacing the main from under the east sidewalk of Lyndale Avenue S. from 56th to 54th Streets W. This duration is expected to last for approximately one week. During this time, they will close a lane of traffic heading northbound in addition to the east sidewalk. They will also close 55th Street W. just east of Lyndale Avenue S.

Today on Monday, April 4, a crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, has begun replacing the first of the project’s two natural gas mains. They are replacing the small-diameter plastic main under the east sidewalk of Lyndale Avenue S. between 56th and 58th Streets. For approximately one week, this section is closed to through traffic, and the east sidewalk is closed. Local access will remain open. Through traffic will be detoured to Highway 121.

After this, the crew will work from 56th to 54th Streets W. for approximately one week. The traffic signs will stay in place on the east sidewalk for the next Michels Corporation crew to connect the service lines to the new main.

From Monday, April 4 to fall 2022, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will work in Minneapolis along Lyndale Avenue S. from 54th to 61st Streets W. While Michels Corporation will replace the natural gas mains, connect the natural gas service lines to the new mains, and move any inside meters outside, Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work.

The first natural gas main is small-diameter plastic that is typically bored underground. The second main is large-diameter steel. Since the crews weld the pieces of the pipe together, the steel main replacement requires open excavation and takes longer to install than the small-diameter plastic main. Time spent on each block will vary due to the size of the block, the steel offsets, the restoration preparation, and the weather. Restoration will follow the steel main work.

There will be four separate crews, one for each phase of the project. Each crew plans to set up their own traffic plan and parking restrictions, removing their signs when their work is done. This may happen before another crew sets up their own traffic signs.

Although the plans may vary, the crews are anticipating lane shifts, parking restrictions, and a sidewalk closure on the side of Lyndale Avenue S. where they’ll be working for most of the project. They plan to close Lyndale Avenue S. to through traffic from 56th to 58th Streets W. Temporary restoration may be put down on excavations in the road or sidewalk before the permanent restoration comes. Our website will be updated on the crews’ progress.

We apologize for the inconvenience as we upgrade our natural gas lines. We hope to make the construction process run smoothly and efficiently.

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.