8/18/2021

Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, will return to the site on Thursday, August 19 to begin replacing the project’s natural gas mains.


CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors are making progress on the project’s final work. Crews from Michels Corporation will finish the project’s natural gas work today on Wednesday, August 18. Tomorrow on August 19, they will have moved their equipment off site.


On Woodlawn Boulevard between Derby and Cedar Avenues, Q3 Contracting will start the concrete curb and gutter work in the week of August 23. Asphalt restoration is scheduled for the week after Labor Day. This area is expected to be open by September 10.


On Woodlawn Boulevard between 51st and 50th Streets W., the concrete road work is continuing this week. This area is expected to be open by August 27. At Woodlawn Boulevard and 54th Street W., the concrete road work is starting in the week of August 23. This area is expected to be open by August 31.


We appreciate your patience as we’re finishing our project.

8/11/2021

Final natural gas work

Crews from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, are putting the final portions of the project’s natural gas steel main in the ground this week. The final steps to completing the replacement include testing and cleaning the new pipe from Wednesday, August 11 to Saturday, August 14, and connecting it to the existing intersecting mains in the week of August 16.


Today on August 11, the crews are cleaning the pipe. Residents may see dust clouds on Woodlawn Boulevard and Cedar Avenue. In the middle of the morning on Saturday, August 14, the crews will test the pipe. Residents near Woodlawn Boulevard and Cedar Avenue may hear construction noise during this time.


On Monday, August 16, the crews will connect the new main to the existing ones in the intersections of Woodlawn Boulevard and Cedar Avenue and Woodlawn Boulevard and 50th Street E. From Tuesday, August 17 to Saturday, August 21, the final connections will take place along Woodlawn Boulevard at Longfellow Avenue, 20th Avenue S. and 54th Street E.


Restoration and reopening

By August 27, the restoration of Woodlawn Boulevard between 56th Street E. and Cedar Avenue and between 51st and 50th Streets E. and the intersection of 54th Street E. The intersection of 54th Street E. and Woodlawn Boulevard will be closed from August 17 to 27 to accommodate the work.


We appreciate your patience as we finish the project.

8/2/2021

Michels Corporation replaced the project’s natural gas steel main on Woodlawn Boulevard from the intersection of Derby Avenue and Woodlawn Boulevard to 20th Avenue S. By the end of this week, they will have replaced the main up to Longfellow Avenue. By the end of the week of August 9, they will have replaced the main near Cedar Avenue.


After that portion is done, the crews will return to the intersection of 50th Avenue S. and Woodlawn Boulevard and the intersection of Woodlawn Boulevard and Cedar Avenue. This will allow the crews to test the pressure of the new main and to connect it to the existing intersecting mains.


Currently Q3 Contracting and the City of Minneapolis are restoring the intersection of Derby Avenue and Woodlawn Boulevard. This intersection is anticipated to be open by Wednesday, August 4. Q3 Contracting has restored the concrete road up to 51st Avenue S. By the end of this week, they plan to be complete with the concrete restoration up to 50th Avenue S. By Thursday, August 12, this road will be open for traffic. In approximately two weeks, the intersection of 50th Avenue S. and Woodlawn Boulevard is expected to be restored with concrete after the natural gas work is complete in that area.

7/28/2021

CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors are continuing progress.


Restoration

Woodlawn Boulevard is open from 56th to 52nd Streets E., and 52nd Street E. is open between Woodlawn Boulevard and 27th Avenue S.


Q3 Contracting is removing sidewalk panels and preparing for concrete restoration on 27th Avenue S. (Woodlawn Boulevard) between 52nd and 50th Streets E. By the end of this week, the preparation work will be done, and the concrete pouring will begin.


By the end of this week, Q3 Contracting anticipates finishing concrete restoration on 27th Avenue S. from the intersection of 27th Avenue S. and 52nd Street E. north to 51st Street E. Then by August 14, the remaining concrete on 27th Avenue S. (Woodlawn Boulevard) between 51st and 50th Streets E. will be finished.


Steel main replacement

Michels Corporation is replacing the natural gas steel main at the intersection of Derby Avenue (56th Street E.) and Woodlawn Boulevard. This intersection is expected to open by Friday, August 6 or Monday, August 9. For the next 2.5 weeks, the crews will continue west to Cedar Avenue.

7/21/2021

Correction:

The concrete restoration for the intersection of Woodlawn Boulevard and 52nd Street E. will begin on Thursday, July 22. The intersection is expected to be opened by Wednesday, July 28.

7/20/2021

By Friday, July 23 or Monday, July 26, crews from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, will have replaced the natural gas steel main on 27th Avenue S. (Woodlawn Boulevard) from 52nd to 50th Streets E. When the main is replaced, concrete restoration will begin early in the week of July 26. This area is anticipated to be open in the middle of August.


Early in the week of July 26, the crews will begin replacing the main on Woodlawn Boulevard between 55th Street E. and Cedar Avenue S. Although this will be the last of the main to be replaced, the final natural gas work includes putting the existing steel main out of service. In late August or early September, the final locations will be the following: Woodlawn Boulevard and 50th Street E.; Woodlawn Boulevard and 54th Street E.; and in the right-of-way between Longfellow Avenue and Cedar Avenue S. The anticipated duration is 7 to 10 days to accommodate the natural gas work and the restoration of the affected areas.

7/19/2021

CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors are making progress and gradually reopening the project’s blocks.


Restoration

The crews finished pouring the concrete on Woodlawn Boulevard between 53rd and 52nd Streets E. At the intersection of Woodlawn Boulevard and 52nd Street E., the concrete will be finished early in the week of July 19.


On Friday, July 23, Woodlawn Boulevard will be open for traffic between 53rd Street E. and the intersection of Woodlawn Boulevard and 52nd Street E. The concrete has been and will continue to be poured on 52nd Street E. between Woodlawn Boulevard and Shoreview Avenue into the week of July 19. It will be open to traffic by July 30.


Main replacement

The natural gas steel main has been replaced up to 51st Street E. This area is anticipated to be open by the middle of August.

7/14/2021

CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors, Michels Corporation and Q3 Contracting, are continuing progress on the project. Below are the details for this project:


Woodlawn Boulevard is open between 21st Avenue S. (56th Street E.) and 53rd Street E.


Between 53rd and 52nd Streets E., Woodlawn Boulevard is currently being prepped for concrete. This area will be open for traffic around July 26 or by the end of July.


Between Woodlawn Boulevard and 27th Avenue S., 52nd Street E. is currently being prepped for concrete. This area will be open for traffic sometime around July 31 or early August.


From 52nd to 50th Streets E. and at the intersection of 52nd Street E., 27th Avenue S. is currently closed until the middle of August. This will accommodate the natural gas steel main replacement and the restoration of the road.


Between 21st Avenue S. (56th Street E.) and Longfellow Avenue S., Woodlawn Boulevard is closed while the crews put the existing natural gas mains out of service. Traffic in this area will be open by July 24. This area will be reclosed in late July or early August to accommodate the steel main replacement.


In the southeast corner of Standish Avenue S. and 56th Street E., the crews put the existing natural gas main out of service. The sidewalks in this area will be open by late in the week of July 19 or early in the week of July 26.


By tomorrow on Thursday, July 15, the crews will have put the existing natural gas main out of service north and south of 54th Street E. at 27th Avenue S. The restoration of the sidewalk, concrete road, black dirt, and grass seed will be complete by late in the week of July 19 or early in the week of July 26.

7/7/2021

CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors, Michels Corporation and Q3 Contracting, are continuing progress on the project. Below are the details:


Restoration

In the week of July 5, the crews are opening Woodlawn Boulevard between 56th and 55th Streets E. On Woodlawn Boulevard, blacktop and soft surface restoration are complete from 56th to 54th Streets E. This week, concrete restoration will be complete at 54th Street E. and Woodlawn Boulevard. The City of Minneapolis will restore a section of asphalt in this area.


Concrete restoration is complete from 54th to 53rd Streets E. This week, Q3 Contracting is restoring the concrete between 53rd and 52nd Streets E. By approximately Monday, June 12, the crews anticipate opening the intersection of Woodlawn Boulevard and 53rd Street E.


Steel main replacement

Crews from Michels Corporation have replaced the natural gas steel main up to 27th Avenue S. Beginning the week of July 5 and lasting into late July or early August 2021, 27th Avenue S. will be closed from 52nd to 50th Streets E. to accommodate the main replacement and restoration. Any changes in the schedule will be noted on our website. After that, the crews will replace the steel main from the intersection of Woodlawn Boulevard and 21st Avenue S. (56th Street E.) to the end of Woodlawn Boulevard west of Longfellow Avenue. The approximate duration is from August to early September, including restoration.


Beginning on Monday, July 12 and lasting for approximately 14 business days, the crews will be at the following places to put the existing natural gas steel main out of service. This duration will also accommodate restoration:


Intersection of 54th Street E. and 27th Avenue S. This intersection is currently closed for a city road project.


The southeast corner of Standish Avenue and 56th Street E. in the sidewalk panels. No road closures are expected. The crews will close the east sidewalk of Standish Avenue between 57th and 56th Streets E. and the south sidewalk of 56th Street E. between Standish Avenue and 23rd Avenue S.


Woodlawn Boulevard between 21st Avenue S. (Derby Lane) and the dead end of Woodlawn Boulevard west of Longfellow Avenue. This area will be closed to through traffic. The cross streets will be closed along Woodlawn Boulevard between Longfellow Avenue and 21st Avenue S. Local access will be maintained. Steel plates will be used as needed for driveway crossings. One sidewalk will be open at a time to maintain pedestrian access.


On July 12, Woodlawn Boulevard will be closed to through traffic for approximately two weeks as the crews put the existing intersecting main out of service. Then it will be reopened for approximately 1 to 2 weeks, before it will be reclosed until early September. This will allow the crews to replace the natural gas steel main and to restore the road. The crews will work with residents on maintaining access.

6/24/2021

This week, crews from Q3 Contracting plan to restore the blacktop on Woodlawn Boulevard between 55th and 56th Streets E. Within the week of June 28 or July 5 the crews will continue restoration up to 54th Street E. From 56th to 54th Streets E., the crews plan to finish the black dirt and seed restoration by Friday, June 25. From 53rd to 54th Streets E., the concrete restoration is expected to finish by July 2. In the week of July 6, the black dirt and seed restoration will follow.


Crews from Michels Corporation are replacing the main on Woodlawn Boulevard from 53rd Street E. to the intersection of 52nd Street E. and 27th Avenue S. The natural gas work in this area is expected to finish by July 3. Restoration will follow. From July 6 to approximately late July or early August, the crews will replace the main on 27th Avenue S. from 52nd to 50th Streets E.

6/15/2021

Where will the crews be in the next several weeks?

The crews replaced the natural gas main up to 53rd Street W. Curb and gutter restoration has been happening between 54th and 56th Streets E. Blacktop restoration will follow. The hard surface restoration should be complete in this area by June 25.


Until the hard surface restoration is complete from 56th to 53rd Streets E., the crews will continue to close Woodlawn Boulevard to through traffic in this area. They estimate a duration of a couple of weeks after June 25 before the traffic closure devices are removed.


The crews have extended the Woodlawn Boulevard closure to 52nd Street E. They estimate that replacing the main on this block will take approximately two weeks due to the incline of the hill. “Road Closed to Through Traffic” signs will be placed on 53rd Street E., 52nd Street E. and Woodlawn Boulevard. On one route, detour signs will lead drivers to 54th Street E. and 27th Avenue S. On another route, the signs will lead drivers to E. Lake Nokomis Parkway and 28th Avenue S.


Into late July, the crews will work on the following streets: After the crews replace the main from 53rd to 52nd Streets E., they will replace the main on 52nd Street E. between Woodlawn Boulevard and 27th Avenue S. Then they will continue north up to 50th Street E. This portion will last into late July.


For approximately 3 to 4 weeks after late July, the crews will replace the main on Woodlawn Boulevard between 56th Street E. to west of Longfellow Avenue. The final portion of the natural gas work will be connecting the new steel main to the existing intersecting mains. The locations will be the following: Woodlawn Boulevard and Longfellow Avenue S.; Woodlawn Boulevard and 56th Street E.; Woodlawn Boulevard and 54th Street E.; and 27th Avenue S. and 50th Street E.

6/9/2021

Crews from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, connected all the project’s natural gas service lines to the new mains.


The crews replaced the natural gas main up to 54th Street E. and will replace the main up to 53rd Street W. by Tuesday, June 15. Curb and gutter restoration started this week between 54th and 56th Streets E. Blacktop restoration will follow. The hard surface restoration should be complete in this area by June 25.


Until the hard surface restoration is complete from 56th to 53rd Streets E., the crews will continue to close Woodlawn Boulevard to through traffic in this area. They estimate a duration of a couple of weeks after June 25 before the traffic closure devices are removed.


On June 15, the crews will extend the Woodlawn Boulevard closure to 52nd Street E. They estimate that replacing the main on this block will take approximately two weeks due to the incline of the hill. “Road Closed to Through Traffic” signs will be placed on 53rd Street E., 52nd Street E. and Woodlawn Boulevard. On one route, detour signs will lead drivers to 54th Street E. and 27th Avenue S. On another route, the signs will lead drivers to E. Lake Nokomis Parkway and 28th Avenue S.

6/1/2021

Crews from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, replaced the natural gas main from 21st Avenue S. (56th Street E.) to 55th Street E. By June 4, they plan to have replaced the main up to 54th Street E. and by June 11 up to 53rd Street E. Restoration will follow with asphalt, curb, gutter, black dirt, and grass seed. As the road restoration finishes, the road will be opened.

5/17/2021

Crews from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, replaced the project’s small-diameter plastic natural gas main on Woodlawn Boulevard from Longfellow Avenue S. to 21st Avenue S. and on Longfellow Avenue S. just south of Woodlawn Boulevard.


On Wednesday, May 19, the crews will begin replacing the large-diameter natural gas steel main on Woodlawn Boulevard. They will start at 21st Avenue S., working up to 50th Street W. and closing 3 to 5 blocks at a time.


On Woodlawn Boulevard between 56th and 53rd Streets E., the crews estimate an approximate total of 3 weeks for the main replacements and 2 weeks for the restoration. During this time, Woodlawn Boulevard will be closed to through traffic. The crews will work with residents on access. Steel plates will be used as needed for driveway crossings. The sidewalk on Woodlawn Boulevard will remain open. Detour signs will lead through traffic to 56th Street E., 26th Avenue S. and 53rd Street E.

5/5/2021

For approximately one week beginning on May 10, crews from Michels Corporation will replace the natural gas plastic main on Woodlawn Boulevard from just west of Longfellow Avenue S. to 21st Avenue S. and on Longfellow Avenue S. from Woodlawn Boulevard to 57th Street E.


During this time, Woodlawn Boulevard and Longfellow Avenue S. will be closed to through traffic, but residents will be able to access their streets and driveways. Parking will be restricted on both sides of Longfellow Avenue S. and Woodlawn Boulevard. The east sidewalk on Longfellow Avenue S. and the south sidewalk on Woodlawn Boulevard will be closed.


Following the main replacement in this area, another crew from Michels Corporation will connect the natural gas service lines to this new main for approximately one week.


In the summer, Michels Corporation will return to replace the large-diameter natural gas steel main on Woodlawn Boulevard from just west of Longfellow Avenue S. to 52nd Street E.; 52nd Street E. from Woodlawn Boulevard to 27th Avenue S.; and 27th Avenue S./Woodlawn Boulevard from 52nd to 50th Streets E. There will be no service line work in this area. Restoration will follow the steel main work.

Project Description

Beginning on May 10 and lasting into summer or fall 2021, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will work in Minneapolis along Woodlawn Boulevard from Longfellow Avenue to 50th Street E. While Michels Corporation will replace the natural gas main, connect the natural gas service lines to the new mains, and move any inside residential meters outside, Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work. This project is a continuation from CenterPoint Energy’s 2019 and 2020 projects near Lake Nokomis.


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.

Traffic Impacts

The crews will work in segments rather than all at once. Local access will be maintained. The crews will be on site to help with access. Steel plates may be used as needed for driveway crossings. Sidewalk closures will alternate as needed. One side will remain open to maintain pedestrian access. Detour signs will lead through traffic to the next block or two over. Below are the respective closures: 27th Avenue S. and Woodlawn Boulevard from 50th to 52nd Streets E.; 52nd Street E. from Woodlawn Boulevard to 27th Avenue S. and 27th Avenue S. from 52nd Street E. to Woodlawn Boulevard; Woodlawn Boulevard from 52nd to 53rd Streets E.; Woodlawn Boulevard from 52nd to 54th Streets E.; 27th Avenue S. on the north side of 54th Street E.; Woodlawn Boulevard from 53rd to 56th Streets E.; Woodlawn Boulevard from just south of 56th Street E. to 55th Street E.; and Woodlawn Boulevard from Longfellow Avenue to 56th Street E.