Puget Sound Energy crews began work Monday installing a natural gas pipeline beneath Lake Hills Connector. Construction will impact traffic on this major east-west route; drivers should expect delays and use alternate routes if possible.

Work on the roughly 1.5-mile stretch of Lake Hills Connector, from Southeast Eighth Street/Southeast Seventh Place to 140th Avenue Southeast, will take approximately a month to complete.

In order to finish the work quickly, more than one work crew will be used. Lane closures and lane shifts will be necessary, affecting traffic in both directions. At two major intersections along Lake Hills Connector – Southeast Eighth Street/Southeast Seventh Place and at Richards Road – police officers will be on hand to assist drivers.

Most work will be done from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., though night work may be required for the section of road from Southeast Eighth Street/Southeast Seventh Place to Richards Road.

Work on the Connector is part of PSE’s Bellevue Braids-Lake Hills Connector natural gas pipeline project. The utility is adding a total of 3.5 miles of new pipeline to accommodate growth downtown and to provide a backup for an existing line.