CREWS REPLACE GAS LINES ON GOOD HOPE

Union Electric Company gas department crews are replacing the cast iron natural gas mains on William and Good Hope with plastic gas line. Company officials said while the work is under way, Good Hope traffic may be blocked at times during the daytime working hours.

Both of the new gas mains will be buried on Good Hope, from Louisiana east to Ellis Street. The work should be completed later this year, according to Bob Talley, assistant superintendent of UE's gas and electric construction and service department.

When work is in progress, the street may be closed from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The installation of the gas mains began last week in the 1400 block of Good Hope, at the corner of Louisiana. "We're installing about 3,000 feet of 10-inch, high pressure, and four-inch, low pressure plastic gas main," Talley said. "The high pressure (50 pounds per square inch) line will tie in with our gas supply `loop' that circles the city and provides natural gas to all of our customers."

Talley said the high pressure gas line will replace a 10-inch, cast iron, high-pressure gas main that's buried along William Street. When the plastic gas main is on-line, the old high pressure, cast iron main on William will be abandoned in-place, he added.

Talley said the low-pressure, plastic gas main that will be buried in the same trench as the high-pressure gas main will replace a similar size cast-iron, low pressure main that now runs along Good Hope. He said the smaller gas main provides natural gas to UE customers living on Good Hope.

Talley said the second phase of the Good Hope project will extend both plastic gas mains westward on Good Hope, from Louisiana to Sheridan. He could not give a completion time for this part of the project, saying it will depend on the weather and manpower that can be taken off other projects.

A check of Missourian records indicates the cast-iron gas main on William Street has given UE's gas department more than its share of problems.

In November 1986, a leak developed in the gas main at the intersection of William and Sheridan. In November 1988, a break in the cast iron main occurred in the 1400 block of William. In 1989, another leak had to be repaired in the line at the intersection of William and Henderson. The most recent break occurred in late December of last year, in the 1800 block of William.

Talley noted the gas main on William was installed in 1961, at a time when cast iron was considered the safest and most efficient method to handle and transport natural gas. Since that time, Talley said new technology has been developed that led to the pliable, but tough, plastic gas and water line now commonly used in the industry.

"Our emphasis during the rest of this decade is to replace all of the cast iron main in our distribution system," Talley said.