THE REAL SIGNS OF SUMMER
By: Soo Asheim
It matters not where one lives in the Red River Valley, you can always count on major infrastructure repairs and projects on at least one and sometimes several major corridors starting from one end of a heavily traveled artery leading all the way from the western side of West Fargo to the eastern side of Dilworth. Traffic will be jammed up for miles and months for both truck and car traffic. Construction crews and heavy equipment filling up one side while vehicles large and small wind and snake their way through men at work and orange traffic cones.
This summer’s adventures in congested traffic and road repair seems light in comparison to prior years. That is, unless you happen to be a business located on Main Avenue in West Fargo or Moorhead.
Businesses located in both cities are victimized by the continual scraping and grunting of machinery removing concrete and car horns blaring from drivers warning other drivers they are too close for comfort or to get moving. Yet, as I maneuvered my way through to view a few businesses in West Fargo subjected to this summer misery I realized within the madness a calm acceptance from most commercial drivers and especially the businesses directly effected on the south side of Main, on the Frontage road.
One such business located at 1909 Main Avenue in West Fargo is Fargo Trailer Center. I spoke with Scott Young, who was upbeat and understanding even with the destruction of construction maelstrom forty feet from his parking lot. Scott looks at it from the point of view that this will make traffic flow better in the future and probably decrease time traveled for his long haul tractor trailer clients as well as others. For now, Fargo Trailer Center has arranged another central location for the long haulers to take their tractor trailers and stepped up their delivery business two fold for others. For anyone wanting to find whatever they need from Fargo Trailer Center fast the best thing would be to call first: 701-282-7470.
On the eastern side of Main Avenue just across the Red River Veteran Memorial Bridge, several business are experiencing the same summertime interference. Alexander’s Restaurant and Juano’s Bar located just as one enters Moorhead from the west is completely inaccessible from Main Avenue. The trick is turning due south on 4th Street where parking is available and entering through the back entrance into the Kasselbaum Building. I was told Alexander’s has been receiving several daily calls asking if they are open. They are definitely open and serving as usual.
A little less than half a block away is the strip mall area of Mother’s Records, Mellow Moods, and the Grand Junction Restaurant. While Grand Junction has not felt the disappearance of customers for lunch, Brady at Mother’s said he thinks his business is down about twenty-five percent from this time last year. Ace Hardware and the M&H gas station are feeling no down side yet, as Moorhead Public Service works on replacing water pipes. However, the worry is coming when MnDot closes off much of the entire area for overlay and resurfacing. That is to begin in mid-summer.
As for the average travelers of Main Avenue from east to west and vice-versa, don’t ask. Most accept this as a standard and ‘typical’ summertime activity within the Fargo/Moorhead area. Just like knowing the days will grow longer and warmer, major road construction projects are every bit a fact of summertime in the upper Midwest.