Minneapolis - Upton and Penn Avenues S. and 52nd Street W. - Project Updates

By the end of the day on Wednesday, November 23, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will have finished the 2022 portion of the project’s work. This includes activating the new steel main with natural gas, removing the equipment from the project site, and reopening the roads. Below are this week’s details:

Yesterday on Monday, November 21, the crew opened Upton Avenue S. from 52nd to 54th Streets W.

Today on Tuesday, November 22, the crew will open Upton Avenue S. from 50th to 51st Streets W.

By the end of the day on Wednesday, November 23, the crew plans to open Logan Avenue S. from 53rd to 54th Streets W.

Q3 Contracting is putting down winter restoration. This includes temporary asphalt on areas that were previously concrete, and hydroseed, hydromulch, or straw matting on any affected boulevards or lawns. In spring 2023, they will permanently restore the affected areas. This includes concrete on sidewalks and black dirt and grass seed on boulevards and lawns.

We appreciate your patience, apologize for the inconvenience, and wish you a wonderful holiday season.

A crew from Minnesota Limited, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, is planning to install the final portions of the project’s natural gas main in late November. The crew has closed the following streets: Upton Avenue S. from 52nd to 54th Streets W.; 50th Street W. at Upton Avenue S.; and Logan Avenue S. from 53rd to 54th Streets W. Residential access is being maintained and sidewalks are open.

On Friday, November 11, the crew plans to install a valve vault on Upton Avenue S. south of 50th Street W.

On Monday, November 14, the crew plans to pave the intersection of 50th Street W. and Upton Avenue S., opening it on Tuesday, November 15. On that same Tuesday, the crew plans to close 54th Street W. at Logan Avenue S. On Thursday, November 17, the crew will close eastbound traffic on 54th Street W. from Penn to Oliver Avenues S. Westbound traffic will remain open in this area.

This work allows the crew to finish putting the final portions of the natural gas steel main in the ground, prepare for testing the new main’s pressure, and connect the new main to the existing intersecting main. On Monday, November 21, the crew plans to connect the new main to the existing one.

During these closures, detour signs will lead through traffic to Penn Avenue S., 50th Street W., and Lyndale Avenue S. Residential access will be maintained.

A crew from Q3 Contracting, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, is following to restore the areas affected by Minnesota Limited’s work. Because of weather, they are beginning to lay down temporary asphalt on areas that were previously concrete. In spring 2023, they will return for permanent concrete. Residents will not be assessed for this work.

We appreciate your patience and apologize for the inconvenience as we’re concluding the 2022 construction season.

CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, Otis Minnesota (formerly Minnesota Limited) installed the valve vault on Logan Avenue S. north of 54th Street W. They connected the new natural gas steel main under Minnehaha Creek.

On Friday, October 28, the crew plans to close Upton Avenue S. from 50th to 52nd Streets W. Residential access will be maintained, and sidewalks will be open. The crew will begin milling the asphalt and spotting the existing utilities in the area. On the same day, the City of Minneapolis plans to pave Logan Avenue S. from 52nd to 54th Streets W.

On Monday, October 31, the crew plans to begin replacing the main on Upton Avenue S.

On Monday, October 31, the crew plans to open Logan Avenue S. from 52nd to 54th Streets W. Logan Avenue S. Ave will remain closed from 53rd to 54th Streets W. (Both intersections of 53rd and 54th Streets W. will remain open.)

On either Monday, October 31 or Wednesday, November 2, the crew plans to open 54th Street W. from Russell to Upton Avenues S. The time of reopening depends on the concrete curing.

On Wednesday, November 2, a crew from Q3 Contracting, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, plans to pave 52nd Street W. from Penn to Newton Avenues S. and at Upton Avenue S.

On Thursday, November 3, the crews plan to open 52nd Street W. from Penn to Newton Avenues S. Residential access is being maintained and sidewalks are open.

On Tuesday, November 8, the crews plan to close 50th Street W. at Upton Avenue S. It is scheduled to be reopened on Tuesday, November 15.

So far on this project, the crew replaced the main underneath Minnehaha Creek. The crew replaced the main down to 54th Street W. The following streets are currently closed: Logan Avenue S. from 52nd to 54th Streets W. and 52nd Street W. from Queen Avenue S. to the west side of Penn Avenue S. and from Penn to Newton Avenues S. Residential access and sidewalks are open.

On Friday, October 21, the crew closed the north sidewalk on 52nd Street W. at Upton Avenue S. This will last for approximately two weeks.

Today on Monday, October 24, the City of Minneapolis is scheduled to pave 52nd Street W. from Queen to Penn Avenues S. Close to CenterPoint Energy’s project route, Meyer Construction closed Upton Avenue S. from 49th to 50th Streets E.

For approximately two weeks beginning on Tuesday, October 25, the crew will close the intersection of Upton Avenue S. and 52nd Street W.

From Tuesday, October 25 to Monday, October 31, the crew will close 54th Street W. from Upton to Russell Avenues S. Detour signs will lead through traffic to Xerxes Avenue S., 50th Street W., and Penn Avenue S. During this time, residents will be able to access their homes.

At a time that is to be determined within approximately mid-November, the crew will close the eastbound lanes on 54th Street W. from Penn to Oliver Avenues S., keeping one westbound lane open. Detour signs will lead eastbound traffic north on Penn Avenue, east on 50th Street W., and south on Lyndale Avenue. During this time, the southern sidewalk on 54th Street W. will be closed. While the entrance to the alley in the eastbound lanes will be closed, the other entrance will remain open to allow drivers to head west on 54th Street W.

CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, Minnesota Limited, anticipates the following schedule for late October and early November to replace a large-diameter natural gas steel main:

For approximately two weeks beginning on Tuesday, October 25, the crew will close the intersection of Upton Avenue S. and 52nd Street W. During this time, the crew will begin putting the existing natural gas steel main out of service.

For approximately two and a half weeks beginning on Friday, October 28, the crew will close Upton Avenue S. from 50th to 52nd Streets W. During this time, they will begin milling the road and removing the existing natural gas steel main.

On Tuesday, November 8, the crews will tentatively close the intersection of Upton Avenue S. and 50th Street W. for approximately one week.

In the weeks of October 10, 17, 24, and perhaps 31, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will work under Minnehaha Creek. While Minnesota Limited and Michels Corporation will replace a large-diameter natural gas steel main, Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by the gas crews’ work. During this time, 52nd Street W. will be closed from Penn to Newton Avenues S. and from Morgan to Logan Avenues S. In these areas, access to the alleys will be closed at 52nd Street W.

The new steel main has been installed along 52nd Street W. from Upton to Oliver Avenues S. The main will continue to be installed on Logan Avenue S. from 52nd to 54th Streets W. and then on Upton Avenue S. from 50th to 52nd Streets W.

Since the crews weld the pieces of the pipe together, the steel main replacement requires open excavation. The exception to this is the creek crossing where a directional drilling machine will be used to safely cross under Minnehaha Creek. There will be noise from the construction vehicles intermittently during business hours. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we work as efficiently as we can!

This week, a crew from Minnesota Limited, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, began replacing the natural gas main under north side of 52nd Street W. between Upton and Oliver Avenues. They anticipate that the main replacement on this road will take approximately two weeks. During this time, parking will be restricted on both sides of 52nd Street W. in this area, and 52nd Street W. is closed from the east side of Upton Avenue S. to the west side of Penn Avenue S.

From Monday, September 19 into November 2022, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will work in Minneapolis along the following streets: Upton Avenue S. from 50th to 52nd Streets W.; 52nd Street W. from Upton to Logan Avenues S.; and Logan Avenue S. from 52nd to 54th Streets W. While Michels Corporation will replace a large-diameter natural gas steel main, Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work.

In 2021, Michels Corporation replaced a small-diameter natural gas plastic main, connected service lines to the new main, and moved inside residential meters outside. In 2021, Michels Corporation worked along the following streets: Upton Avenue S. between 50th Street W. and Red Cedar Lane, 52nd Street W. at Upton Avenue S., and Forest Dale east of Upton Avenue S. They replaced a small-diameter natural gas plastic main, connected service lines to the new main, and moved inside residential meters outside.

This year, 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.

The crews plan to close at least two blocks at a time, detouring through traffic to the next block or two over. They will start on 52nd Street W. and Upton Avenue S., working east toward Logan Avenue S.

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.