Residents of the Hawthorne neighborhood in Minneapolis should prepare for disruptions this spring as CenterPoint Energy rolls out its infrastructure revamp designed to swap aging natural gas lines with modern alternatives. As reported by a local bulletin, the utility company will begin work in mid-April, collaborating with city paving projects to streamline the efforts.
Not every street in Hawthorne will see gas main replacements, though. Those slated for updates have been highlighted in red on the provided map, with yellow-marked streets getting service line upgrades and meter relocations instead. It's important for residents to know that not all homes on yellow streets will undergo work. CenterPoint notes that “employees of authorized contractors will have CenterPoint Energy identification cards” and advises against granting access to anyone lacking proper identification.
Prior to construction, public utilities will be marked with flags and spray paint for safety. CenterPoint requests that residents mark any privately installed lines like sprinklers or pet fences with materials like flags, paint, or sticks.
The process includes boring underneath the roads to replace old plastic mains and performing meter work, which involves removing sidewalk panels and boring service lines from sidewalks to properties. Certain appointments will be scheduled for these services, and disruptions will likely include parking restrictions, disruptions of a sidewalk at a time, and lane shifts. Information on specific traffic impacts will be communicated as determined, according to the CenterPoint Energy bulletin.
Following completion of the gas line and meter work, restoration efforts will kick in to repair roads, sidewalks, boulevards, and lawns affected by the construction. Temporary fixes will be in place until permanent restoration can occur, with the intent to keep the neighborhood as livable as possible during transitions.
CenterPoint Energy extends its thanks to residents for their patience and encourages them to visit its website for full details on the construction process. For direct questions, they offer contact details for their Communication Specialist, [email protected] or at 612-542-6198.
