Moorhead City Council

Nancy Edmonds Hanson

Moorhead and the Minnesota Department of Transportation moved one step close to the long-awaited 11th Street underpass project Monday with the city council’s approval of three resolutions clarifying the financial responsibilities of each party. The total cost of the massive project, for which bids will be issued Feb. 2, is currently estimated at $115 million.
City engineer Robert Zimmerman laid out the measures, which he called “a big milestone.
The first, a cooperative construction agreement between MNDoT, the city and Clay County, identifies MNDoT’s responsibility for issuing all bids and contracts for the construction with a single exception. The city staff will take thelead role in reconstructing the utilities affected by the project, including water main and sanitary sewer improvements.
MNDoT will contract separately with the BNSF Railway for the rail bridges.
Costs will be covered by MNDoT’s statewide cost participation policy. The city’s share is expected to be $10.6 million. That amount, he said, will be covered by federal and state funding. “No local participation will be required,” he noted.
The second resolution covers payment to the city for the cost of adapting Fire Station Number One at the corner of First Avenue and 10th Street North and removing, and then replacing, playground equipment, the blue beaver statues and trees at Memorial and Davy Park. Both projects will be handled by the city’s Public Works Department. The fire station work is estimated to
The fire station’s layout needs to be reconfigured to permit fire trucks to enter and exit on Second Avenue, since the underpass will cut off its present driveway to the south. The park area will be affected by temporary easements for equipment and staging, but will be returned to the city at the project’s conclusion. Fire station adjustments are estimated at $1.7 million, with the park work at $133,500, both of which will be reimbursed to the city.
The final resolution covers the cost of rerouting U.S. Highway 10 from Center Avenue to Main Avenue from Eighth to 21st Streets while construction is underway. The state will reimburse the city for the rerouted vehicles’ impact on the roadway, signal system and utilities while the detour is in place.
After the council unanimously passed all three resolutions, Mayor Shelly Carlson noted that no local assessments will be required to complete the underpass project, the largest undertaking in Moorhead history. She asked Zimmerman, “In your 30 years in the engineering department, have you ever seen a project of this magnitude conducted without substantial local funds?”
“No,” he replied. “Kudos and a huge shout-out to city staff. This is a phenomenal feat.” He acknowledged the work of governmental affairs director Lisa Bode, council members themselves, and the state and federal delegations – “along with our tremendous partners in MNDoT.”