Residents in Whittier should brace for construction as CenterPoint Energy's natural gas line work is set to extend into the summer season. According to an update provided by the company, crews from Michels Corporation, an authorized contractor, are hard at work replacing the natural gas mains, a project they expect to wrap up by mid-June. During this period, locals will be dealing with sidewalk closures one at a time, alongside parking restrictions on both sides of the streets where the crews are laboring. Lane and partial intersection closures are also on the menu as the infrastructural overhaul unfolds.
While one team heads up the main replacements, others are tasked with the move of inside meters to the outdoors, to which appointments are necessary, and the replacement and reconnection of service lines to the new mains. These additional crews have been instructed to ensure the same or similar sidewalk and traffic impacts as those caused by the main team’s activities. As stated on the project’s web page, one of the crews has already completed their work on Stevens Avenue stretching from Franklin Avenue to 26th Street W. and on Clinton Avenue from Franklin Avenue to 24th Street W. Commuters are to prepare to navigate these changes as smoothly as possible throughout the construction period.
The elaborate dance of construction will see the service line and meter crews taking a backseat for about a month, allowing the main crew to install an even larger portion of the natural gas mains. Once that’s in place, the sidelined teams will reemerge to connect customers’ properties to these newly laid mains. It's a strategic pause in a choreography meant to streamline the process and minimize the disruption to the daily lives of Whittier's inhabitants.
CenterPoint Energy has reached out to residents seeking patience as they "upgrade our infrastructure" and ensure a seamless transition to newer, presumably more efficient gas mains. For those with lingering questions or concerns, CenterPoint Energy's Communication Specialist is available at 612-321-5546 or via email at [email protected]. The company invites customers and the public alike to check their website for regularly updated details and progress reports on the construction work, promising to usher in a great season following the upgrades.
