The Moorhead City Council approved a request Monday to begin construction on an interchange between Interstate 94 and 34th Street South.
The council's approval provides access to federal funding. Because some of the federal funds for the project cannot be officially obligated until 2009, the council's agreement was required.
The project is expected to take 18 months to complete and to cost about $20 million.
The proposed interchange will be built to the west of Main Avenue and 34th Street and extend across I-94 to connect with 30th Avenue South and Village Green Boulevard, said Moorhead City Engineer Bob Zimmerman.
With construction of the new interchange, the city will get rid of the loops that now provide access from I-94. Those loops do not meet current design standards, Zimmerman said.
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About $3.5 million of the project cost will be assessed to property owners.
About 80 percent of the remaining $16.5 million will come from federal appropriations that have already been secured, Zimmerman said.
The rest of the cost will come from municipal state aid or local funding.
In other business, the council voted to table an ordinance to rezone 2001 15th Ave. N. to light industrial.
Under light industrial, the city-owned property at the intersection of 15th Avenue and Highway 75 could be used for mini-storage without conditions required by the current community commercial zoning designation.
The city extended a deadline for proposals for the sale and development of the site.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Kim Winnegge at (701) 241-5524
