GALION — For the second summer in a row, Columbia Gas is upgrading natural gas lines in the city. Representatives of the utility will host a public meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18 to discuss the project with local residents and answer any questions. The meeting will be on the second floor of the city building, 301 Harding Way East.
Crews from Mid-Ohio Pipeline of Lexington will be working on portions of the following streets in Galion: Church Street, Payne Avenue, Gill Avenue, Boston Street, North Union Street, South Jefferson Street, Cherry Street, Orange Street, Guinther Court, and Koppe Court. The project is expected to be completed in the fall of this year.
According to an information packet provided by Columbia Gas, the “short-term project will lead to long-term benefits” for Galion residents. Among the benefits listed are “enhanced safety features; reliability of service for years to come; less future maintenance work in your neighborhood;” and “system support for amenities like fire pits, outdoor grills, pool heaters, etc.”
Columbia Gas officials caution Galion residents to “be prepared for digging and disruption as we upgrade these gas lines. We may need to enter your home or business more than once to complete this work. We may need to dig in your yard, move your gas meter and briefly turn off your gas service. This will take some time, but we will put things back in order when we’re done.”
According to the information packet about the project, the company will mark the locations of existing public utilities with flags, stakes, and temporary paint. Columbia Gas officials may also schedule times to inspect sewer and gas lines at residences and businesses in the work area.
After replacing the main line and service lines that connect to homes and businesses, Columbia Gas officials will schedule appointments to connect customers to the new lines. At this time, the company may relocate gas meters at no cost to the home or business owner. The company will conduct safety inspections once all work is completed and relight all gas appliances for customers.
Throughout the duration of the project, Columbia Gas, according to the information packet, will install temporary patches on streets and sidewalks in the work area. Permanent repairs will be made after the project is completed this fall, including installation of concrete and asphalt where necessary.
Columbia Gas will also repair lawns affected by the work, including “filling in holes with dirt, leveling the area, laying down topsoil, reseeding the grass and replacing plants and flower beds.”
Daniel Ball is the designated contact person for the Galion project. Residents with questions or concerns can contact Ball at 440-242-7653, or by email [email protected]. Information is available on the Columbia Gas website at www.columbiagasohio.com. A copy of the information packet can be found on the City of Galion website at ci.galion.oh.us. For information about Mid-Ohio Pipeline, visit the company’s website https://mopipeline.com.
