Heads up, Lake Street commuters: Major roadworks are coming your way, and they're bound to shake up your daily drive. CenterPoint Energy's work on the natural gas infrastructure is the culprit behind the upcoming traffic disruptions, with James Avenue S. from Lake Street W. shutting down from May 24 to June 1. While crews dig in, businesses along the street are keeping their doors open and relying on your loyal patronage, so don't let the detour signs deter you from supporting local ventures.
The company has cleared up some confusion from a previous statement, now confirming that if the crews complete their work ahead of schedule, the road could reopen before the calendar flips to June. The planned closure is to facilitate the connection of a freshly installed main to the existing natural gas framework. Despite the works, parking spaces on James Avenue S. just south of the blockade, will remain accessible to all vehicles. On foot, you won't have to plot an alternate route; both sidewalks along James Avenue S. are staying wide open for pedestrian traffic, according to CenterPoint Energy's bulletin.
One team of workers is on a mission to complete the replacement of a steel main stretching from James Avenue S. to Dupont Avenue S., with a target wrap date of May 31. However, these timelines aren't set in stone and the ever-dependable first week of June stands as a backup, with the final say on any road closures resting in the hands of Metro Transit and its contractors. Parallel to this, another crew has rolled up their sleeves to tackle the smaller plastic main under Lake Street's south sidewalk, hoping to wrap up in early to mid-June.
But there's more than just piping getting a makeover. The CenterPoint Energy crews are reworking service lines, and repositioning meters from indoors to out—dealing with the south side of Lake Street has been crossed off their list, and now they're moving their operation to the north side. By June, they'll start the dance all over again, this time on the east side of Hennepin Avenue. A different team will be mingling with customers, chipping away at a summer-long project to replace select service lines and shuffle meters from inside buildings to external walls, inhabitants of Colfax Avenue S. have already seen this action unfurling eastward along Lake Street. The side effect of this progress is a squeeze on traffic, with a single lane and parking closure on Lake Street's southern flank and the occasional sidewalk shutdown—depending on which side the crews are toasting with their torches.
For the residents gritting their teeth through this infrastructure upheaval, CenterPoint Energy offers a channel to voice concerns or to satisfy any curiosities about the project's progression. Curious parties can reach out to their Communication Specialist at 612-321-5546 or ping an email to [email protected]. As the roads bend and weave around the work sites, a nod of gratitude is extended to everyone practicing patience and safety through the transformation.
