Gas pipeline installed before the Great Chicago Fire removed from service
A piece of Chicago’s infrastructure dating back to the 19th century has been removed as part of a modernization effort by Peoples Gas, according to CBS News.
On April 28, crews extracted a gas pipeline that had been buried beneath Wabash Avenue near 8th Street since 1861. The 2,000-pound pipe had been in operation for over a century and a half—dating back to the year President Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated and the Civil War erupted.
The aged pipe continued serving Chicago’s downtown well into the modern era, supplying gas to buildings including Miller’s Pub and the Palmer House Hotel, according to Peoples Gas.
Despite its remarkable longevity and historical significance—it even survived the Great Chicago Fire burning just blocks away—the pipe had reached the end of its useful life, according to CBS News. Peoples Gas said corrosion had made it necessary to retire the line and install an upgraded pipeline.
This removal is part of a broader project to replace aging infrastructure beneath Wabash Avenue. In total, more than 5,870 feet of outdated pipe have been removed from service in the area by Peoples Gas and its union crews.
The pipe itself won't be scrapped. Instead, it will be preserved and transported to a Peoples Gas research facility, where scientists will study it to gain insights into how materials degrade over time—information that could inform future infrastructure planning and safety protocols.
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