Need for the Project

To meet the growing demand for natural gas, maintain system integrity, and ensure continued safe and reliable service in the area of Evanston Wyoming, a new district regulator station and underground natural gas piping will be constructed and built over the next year.

Location

The regulator station will be located at 209 Center Street, and pipe installation will occur at intersections along Center Street from 1st Street to 3rd Street.

Construction Schedule

We aim to complete this work quickly and with minimal inconvenience to local businesses and residents. No interruption to residents' natural gas service is anticipated. Crews are scheduled to complete Phase 1 in September and October 2024. Phase 2 is set for June to September 2025, with no construction between November 2024 and May 2025 to minimize disruptions at Evanston Middle School.

Temporary lane restrictions, especially at intersections, will be necessary to accommodate crews and equipment. Motorists are advised to drive carefully, obey signs and flaggers, and consider alternate routes to avoid congestion. Our crews will try to maintain access to businesses and driveways in construction zones. We appreciate your patience.

Project Phases

Phase 1 (September – October 2024):

Work will take place on private property at 209 Center Street. The contractor will clear the site of weeds and debris, pour a concrete pad for the future regulator station, and install temporary fencing that will remain until the project's completion. No impacts on traffic patterns are expected during this phase.

Phase 2 (June – September 2025):

This phase involves installing the regulator station and pipes along Center Street from 1st Street to 3rd Street. Work will occur on the road and in some park strips, potentially altering traffic patterns for limited periods. We will provide additional details as they become available.

Coming soon

Coming soon

Intermittent lane closures may be required for pipes buried beneath streets or highways. Excavation work may occasionally block driveways, but they will be plated to maintain access during business hours, nights, and weekends.

Before construction begins in front of any home or business, a representative will contact the owner or resident to discuss driveway access options. Signs are available to inform the public that businesses remain open during construction.

To ensure construction proceeds safely and on time, the public must find alternative routes, drive carefully in construction zones, and keep children away from construction sites.

Enbridge Gas works closely with city and state transportation officials to ensure safety and minimize inconvenience to drivers and pedestrians. Temporary street and sidewalk closures or traffic restrictions may be necessary for public safety. We will strive to minimize these inconveniences, and your patience is appreciated.

Steps During Construction:

• Locate Buried Utilities: The area beneath city streets is a maze of underground utilities. To avoid damage, potholing is used to identify the exact location of existing infrastructure before trenching.
• Dig Trench: After locating utilities, pavement above the existing pipe is cut and removed, and equipment is used to dig the trench. The trench's depth depends on existing utilities. The excavated soil is loaded into trucks and hauled for disposal at a designated landfill.
• Deliver and "String" New Pipe: New pipe, manufactured and inspected to meet safety standards, is delivered to the construction site, where sections are placed end-to-end (or "strung") on skids adjacent to the trench. A hydraulic machine may bend pipe sections to fit around obstacles or conform to the trench's direction.
• Weld and Coat New Pipe: Welding crews join the pipe sections into a continuous length. Each weld is visually inspected, X-rayed, and coated for protection.
• Lower Pipe into Trench: Crews carefully lower the welded pipe sections into the trench using one or more tractors. Final welds are made to "tie in" unconnected sections.
• Backfill Trench: A mixture called "flowable fill" is used to backfill the trench under some streets. In other areas, the original soil is replaced.
• Pressure Test New Pipe: The new pipe is pressure-tested with nitrogen after burial and before use to ensure system integrity. It is also purged and cleaned before being put into service.
• Clean-Up and Road Restoration: The final step is repairing the trench surface. Fences or sod may also be replaced if necessary.
• Directional Bore: At busy intersections, water crossings, and major roads, crews will install pipes by boring horizontally under the road, stream, or canal instead of trenching. A boring machine drills a hole from one side, and the pipe is strung on the other before being pulled through.

We take safety seriously. Since its founding in 1929, our company and its affiliates have engaged in every phase of natural gas service, from production and gathering to transportation and distribution. During that time, while delivering the clean and efficient natural gas our customers rely on daily for their comfort and livelihood, we have earned an enviable record for safety and reliability.

Visit our Safety section for more details.