For the past two months throughout the south end of Ironton workers with C.J. Hughes Construction have been trenching along the city streets replacing aging utility lines for Columbia Gas of Ohio.

This week crews have targeted Ashtabula Street between Fifth and Third streets where they are replacing existing pipe with two-inch and four-inch IPS plastic.

“We are replacing the old gas lines and putting in new mains,” Brad Cofer, construction coordinator for Columbia Gas, said. “We do that after so many years, start with the lines that are older and replace them.”

The project will eventually lay down 11,000 feet of pipe from Pleasant to Ashtabula streets. All of the work is done while services are connected and will be replaced all the way up to the house.

Some of the existing gas lines date back to the early 1900s, Cofer said. However, those are always maintained.

“We keep good maintenance. Everything we do, procedures, it’s for safety,” Cofer said. “Our main goal is safety for people and the environment. The company strives on safety.”

The replacement project will continue into 2014.