Residents of the Kenwood neighborhood, brace yourselves for a summer of construction as CenterPoint Energy is set to upgrade the natural gas infrastructure in your area. This project, planned to commence on or after May 5, and expected to last about two months, will involve replacing old plastic mains with modern piping to enhance both safety and reliability of gas distribution. CenterPoint Energy announced the upcoming works, emphasizing that there will be no cost to residents for this project.
According to the notice by CenterPoint, several contractors will be working throughout the Kenwood neighborhood. These contractors, donning identification cards from CenterPoint Energy, will be tasked with marking utilities, replacing mains, and ensuring the smooth transition of service lines and meters. The company asks residents to flag their private utilities, like sprinkler systems or dog fences, so as not to interfere with public utility marking.
It's worth noting that the main replacement work will involve some level of disruption to the neighborhood. CenterPoint details that "Plastic main is replaced by boring underneath the side of each road." While intersections may have to endure temporary backfill of dirt or gravel until service work is complete, permanent restorations will follow soon after. Residents can expect to receive a postcard prior to these efforts, with technicians scheduling visits to manage the relighting of gas services.
As the streets and sidewalks undergo construction, temporary restoration will maintain the area's livability, with final restorations slated a few weeks post-construction. CenterPoint ensures that residents with outside meters will be notified before any service line replacements or connections to the new main, making appointments with homeowners to move inside meters outside, the company states.
The utility crews anticipate the main disruptions to be parking restrictions, single sidewalk closures, and possible lane shifts. Specifics regarding traffic impacts will be communicated as they arise, and the crews have pledged to work with residents to maintain home access throughout the construction period. For any concerns or further inquiries, CenterPoint Energy encourages reaching out to their Communication Specialist via email at [email protected] or by phone at 612-542-6198. Additional information about the project and its impacts can be found on their website.
