St. Louis Park - Edgewood Avenue S. - Project Updates

A crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, finished the project’s natural gas work. This included replacing the mains, connecting the service lines to the new mains, connecting the new mains to the intersecting existing ones, and putting the existing mains out of service.

Q3 Contracting, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, will restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work. On any excavations in boulevards and lawns, they will backfill with dirt and netting. In spring 2022, they will return with black dirt and seed.

The sidewalks will be restored with concrete. We appreciate your patience as we upgrade our natural gas lines, ensuring system reliability for years to come.

A crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, plans to finish the project’s natural gas work by Wednesday, November 3. This week, they are finishing the connection of the service lines to the new mains on the 2800 block of Edgewood Avenue S. In the week of October 25, they will connect the service lines on the 2700 block.

Q3 Contracting, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, will finish the restoration by November 15. In the week of October 25, they will begin replacing the sidewalks, starting at 33rd Street W. and working north. When the weather is conducive for permanent restoration on the boulevards and lawns, the crews will restore them with black dirt and seed. If the weather isn’t conducive for permanent restoration, the crews will put down winter erosion control this year and return in 2022 for permanent restoration.

CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors plan to finish the project by November 15. A crew from Michels Corporation is connecting the service lines to the new mains. They plan to finish the service line work in the next few weeks. Following this work, Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work. We appreciate your patience as we upgrade our natural gas lines.

This week, a crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, finished replacing the project’s natural gas main. No parking signs should be removed from the site. This month, another Michels Corporation crew will begin connecting the service lines to the new main.

One crew from Michels Corporation, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, replaced the natural gas main along the east side of Edgewood Avenue S. from Minnetonka Boulevard to 27th Street W. They are currently replacing the main on the east side of Edgewood Avenue S. from Minnetonka Boulevard to 33rd Street W. Late this week, they will connect the new main to the existing intersecting mains along the project route.

During this time, parking will be restricted on the east side of Edgewood Avenue S. between 27th and 33rd Streets W. The crews plan to lift the no parking closures before the Labor Day weekend.

Within September, another Michels Corporation crew will return to connect the natural gas service lines to the new mains.

Beginning in late August and lasting into fall 2021, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractors will work in St. Louis Park along Edgewood Avenue S. between 27th and 33rd 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 residential meters outside, Q3 Contracting will restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work. Parking and sidewalk closures will occur.

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.

Crews from Q3 Contracting, CenterPoint Energy’s authorized contractor, will follow to restore the areas affected by Michels Corporation’s work, including hard and soft surfaces. 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.