LOS ANGELES, January 19, 2017 – Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) today announced that work to replace a section of a natural gas transmission pipeline along a portion of Crenshaw Boulevard in the city of Inglewood will begin on Jan. 23. The work is part of SoCalGas’ Pipeline Safety Enhancement Plan (PSEP), a multi-billion-dollar program that tests and/or updates the company’s natural gas pipeline infrastructure throughout Central and Southern California.
The excavation and pipeline installation work of approximately 1.14 miles along Crenshaw Boulevard will begin in the north, at 104th Street and 111th Place in the city of Inglewood. The construction work will extend all the way south on Crenshaw Boulevard, near the entrance of Interstate 105 in the city of Hawthorne. The work will be carried out in a series of sections, one at a time, and is expected to continue through April, weather and other factors permitting.
While crews work on each section, northbound lanes on Crenshaw Boulevard will be reduced to one lane in and around the construction area. Lane reductions will be marked with traffic cones and in effect during work hours Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the following locations:
- Crenshaw Boulevard and 104th Street; and,
- Crenshaw Boulevard and 111th Place.
In addition, the I-105 westbound Crenshaw Boulevard off-ramp exit will be closed for construction directly in front of the freeway exit and will be marked with traffic cones and signs as SoCalGas crews work Monday through Friday from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. at the following location:
- Crenshaw Boulevard and 118th Place.
SoCalGas strives to provide continuous service of natural gas to its customers while the construction work continues. Customers should not expect any interruptions in their natural gas service. If that changes, affected customers who may experience a temporary interruption in their natural gas service will be notified by SoCalGas directly. Customers with questions or concerns about the construction work may call SoCalGas’ Customer Contact Center 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 800-427-2200 or email PSEPOutreach@semprautilities.com.
As part of the construction work, crews will perform a hydrostatic test, which entails filling the pipe with water, pressurizing it and then monitoring the pipeline for several hours to verify its ability to operate at a safe level of pressure.
People passing by the work site may see excavation, equipment, vehicles and traffic control signage. Drivers should adhere to all traffic safety measures while driving past the construction zone. The nearby community may also hear some work-related noise and notice an occasional natural gas odor during work hours.
SoCalGas dedicates a significant amount of resources in improving the safety and integrity of its more than 101,000 miles of natural gas pipelines. In 2016, the company invested approximately $1.2 billion on various improvements to distribution, transmission and storage systems and for pipeline safety projects. Begun in 2012, PSEP was designed to meet directives established by the California Public Utilities Commission intended to enhance public and pipeline safety. For more information on pipeline replacement, visit socalgas.com (search “PSEP”).
About Southern California Gas Co. Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) has been delivering clean, safe and reliable natural gas to its customers for more than 145 years. It is the nation’s largest natural gas distribution utility, providing service to 21.6 million consumers connected through 5.9 million meters in more than 500 communities. The company’s service territory encompasses approximately 20,000 square miles throughout central and Southern California, from Visalia to the Mexican border. SoCalGas is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company based in San Diego.
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