Natural Gas Mains on Commercial St. Receiving Upgrade

National Grid has started upgrading natural gas mains along Commercial Street in the North End.

The project, which began last year on Hanover Street, will now move to a second phase, as the energy company replaces 575 feet of natural gas main spanning from Greenough Lane to Battery Street.

National Grid is upgrading the infrastructure in this area from original cast iron main to state-of-the-art plastic piping, which will help provide safe and reliable natural gas service to local customers for years to come.

The North End project is part of a larger National Grid main replacement program, as the company upgrades older mains to more modern materials and invests in its natural gas infrastructure. In 2013 alone, the company replaced more than 160 miles of natural gas main in Massachusetts.

This phase of the project will last approximately eight weeks, at which time National Grid will work with individual customers in the area to upgrade their gas service connections.

North End residents should be advised that parking restrictions will be in effect during the project. Traffic will flow normally in both directions on Commercial Street, but National Grid urges residents to drive cautiously to protect themselves and natural gas workers in the area.