Minnetonka Boulevard from Woodlawn Avenue to Tonkawood Road - Project Updates

CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors are finishing the natural gas line replacement project on Minnetonka Boulevard between Woodlawn Avenue to Tonkawood Road. While Michels Corporation finished the natural gas steel main’s replacement, Q3 Contracting is following behind to pave the road. They plan to finish the pavement on Friday, December 2. Any affected boulevards will have winter erosion control such as hydromulch or straw netting this year and black dirt and grass seed next year. We appreciate your patience and wish you a happy holiday season!

This week, the crew has been replacing the large-diameter natural gas steel main on the south side of Minnetonka Boulevard between Woodlawn Avenue and Larchwood Drive. Next week, the crew plans to replace the main on the south side of Minnetonka between Larchwood Drive and Druid Lane, crossing to the north side of Minnetonka Boulevard. The whole job will be conducted between Woodlawn Avenue and Tonkawood Road. During this time, two-way traffic will be maintained with flagging crews on site. One lane will be closed for work. The crew anticipates that the main replacement will be finished in mid- November.

From Monday, August 8 into fall 2022, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will work in Minnetonka along Minnetonka Boulevard from Woodlawn Avenue to Tonkawood Road. While Michels Corporation will replace two natural gas mains—one will be small-diameter plastic and the other will be large-diameter steel—Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work.

Flaggers will be on site as two-way traffic will remain open. No full road closures are planned for this project.

The plastic main will be replaced in the weeks of August 8 and 15. The steel main will be replaced beginning on Monday, August 29 and lasting into the fall.

The plastic main is typically bored underground. Since the crews weld the pieces of the steel 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.