In a sure sign that road construction season has arrived, orange is starting to speckle metro-area roadways again.
Fargo-Moorhead will see its share of roadwork this season, with several city streets slated to undergo reconstruction.
Crews try to keep up routine maintenance on city streets, but eventually a full rebuild is necessary so the roads can handle increased traffic flows, officials said.
In Fargo, work to rebuild First Avenue North between University Drive and 25th Street began on Monday.
Throughout the summer, portions of Seventh, 12th and 32nd avenues north will also be rebuilt, said Fargo Traffic Engineer Jeremy Gorden.
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Interstate 94 will get routine maintenance on both sides of the river, which might slow traffic because of temporary lane closures, state transportation department officials said.
Likewise, traveling to lakes country this summer might come with its share of delays, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Crews will repave several stretches of Highway 10 between Moorhead and Detroit Lakes, resulting in lane closures.
Construction work will be light in Moorhead, but crews will finish up remaining work on the 34th Street interchange at I-94, which opened last fall, said Assistant City Engineer Tom Trowbridge.
West Fargo Engineer Kevin Bucholz did not return multiple emails and phone calls since Thursday seeking the city's construction plans for this summer.
Meanwhile, transportation officials are planning ahead for several major projects slated for summer 2012 in the metro.
Reconstruction of 10th Street North in Fargo will take place next year between 12th and 17th avenues north, Gorden said.
In West Fargo, the second phase of the Main Avenue reconstruction project will kick off in 2012 with an overhaul of the stretch between Sixth Street East and 45th Street, said NDDOT Assistant District Engineer Kevin Gorder.
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The first phase of the
$12 million project was done in 2009 from Fifth Street West to Sixth Street East. The final phase west of Fifth Street is scheduled for 2015.
This year's reconstruction of Seventh Avenue in Fargo is a precursor to next year's bridge project over I-29, Gorder said.
Reconstruction of the Seventh Avenue bridge will likely affect many motorists on Fargo's north side throughout summer 2012, Gorder said.
He said crews are also studying future upgrades to the I-94 interchanges at 25th Street and University Drive in Fargo.
The interchanges are designed for 20-year traffic flow projections, which they've met, Gorder said.
While there's no time frame for when construction work would begin, he said those projects are on NDDOT's radar for the coming years.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Kristen Daum at (701) 241-5541
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Road construction projects
FARGO
1. First Avenue North between University Drive and 25th Street - Street reconstruction, including the addition of a striped bicycle lane.
Motorist advisory: Detour via surrounding streets during three phases of the project.
Projected cost: $4.1 million
Estimated completion date: October
2. Seventh Avenue North between 38th and 45th streets - Street reconstruction and widening of the roadway to allow for bicycle travel.
Motorist advisory: Detour via Third Avenue North.
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Projected cost: $2.8 million
Estimated completion date: Late October
3. 32nd Avenue North between University Drive and 9½ Street - Street reconstruction, with the addition of striped bicycle lanes.
Motorist advisory: No designated detour route.
Projected cost: $750,000
Estimated completion date: Late October
4. 12th Avenue North between Ninth and Elm streets - Street reconstruction, with the addition of striped bicycle lanes.
Motorist advisory: No designated detour route.
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Projected cost: $2 million
Estimated completion date: Sept. 30
5. 40th Street between Main Avenue and 13th Avenue South; and Second, Fourth, Ninth and 11th avenues south between 42nd and 38th streets - Street rehabilitation, including the replacement of street lights and new storm sewer relief in some areas.
Motorist advisory: Multiple detours.
Projected cost: $2.3 million
Estimated completion date: Sept. 30
6. University Drive between 30th and 40th avenues south - Installation of a 36-inch water transmission line and replacement of existing 12-inch water main.
Motorist advisory: Northbound lanes of University Drive will be detoured via 40th Avenue South to 15th Street. Southbound lanes will remain open.
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Projected cost: $2.75 million
Estimated completion date: Sept. 30
7. 25th Street South between 58th and 73rd avenues south - Construction of a three-lane roadway with striped bicycle lanes and three large roundabouts.
Projected cost: $3.3 million
Estimated completion date: Aug. 1
MOORHEAD
8. 20th Street at the BNSF pedestrian underpass at Interstate 94
Projected cost: $1 million
Estimated completion date: September.
9. 34th Street interchange at I-94 - Complete construction along County Highway 52 between I-94 and Village Green Boulevard and install traffic signal.
Projected cost: $17.8 million project (includes total project cost of constructing the interchange)
Estimated completion date: May/June.
10. Main Avenue at 20th and 21st streets - Phase one of the railroad grade separation project
Projected cost: $350,000
Estimated completion date: early June
NORTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
11. I-94 in West Fargo between Veterans Boulevard and the Red River Valley Fairgrounds - Routine maintenance to pavement.
Projected cost: $250,000
Estimated completion date: Sept. 30
12. Interstate 29 between Harwood and Argusville - Reconstruction of northbound lanes and resurfacing of Argusville and Harwood overpasses. A bicycle lane will be added to the Harwood overpass.
Motorist advisory: One-lane traffic in each direction on the southbound lanes of I-29. The Argusville overpass will be closed and traffic will be reduced to one lane on the Harwood overpass.
Projected cost: $8.4 million
Estimated completion date: Sept. 30 for Harwood overpass;
mid-October for other work.
13. Pedestrian path under I-94 between University Drive and Fifth Street South - Retiling of tunnel walls and installation of new lighting, among other upgrades. Once complete, the path will be renamed the "Lincoln Tunnel."
Projected cost: $212,000
Estimated completion date: mid-July
MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
14. I-94 westbound between Highway 34 in Barnesville to the Downer exit - Road resurfacing.
Motorist advisory: Expect lane closures.
Projected cost: $5.8 million
Estimated completion date: July
15. Highway 9 from Norman/Clay county line to Highway 10 - Road resurfacing and replacement of three bridges.
Motorist advisory: Expect detour routes and lane closures.
Projected cost: $6.1 million
Estimated completion date: August
16. Highway 10, about 1.5 miles west of Glyndon - Install weigh-in-motion system.
Motorist advisory: Expect lane closures.
Projected cost: $132,000
Estimated completion date: July
17. Highway 10 eastbound, between Hawley and Detroit Lakes - Road resurfacing.
Motorist advisory: Expect lane closures.
Projected cost: $1.9 million
Estimated completion date: June
18. Highway 10 westbound, between Frazee and Detroit Lakes - Road resurfacing.
Motorist advisory: Expect lane closures.
Projected cost: $800,000
Estimated completion date: June
19. Highway 10 eastbound from Detroit Lakes to Frazee; and I-94 westbound from Douglas County Road 17 to Highway 27 - Road resurfacing.
Motorist advisory: Expect lane closures.
Projected cost: $1.6 million
Estimated completion date: August
20. Highway 32 between Highway 10 and Highway 34 in southeast Clay County - Guardrail replacement.
Motorist advisory: Expect lane closures.
Projected cost: $320,000
Estimated completion date: Fall
21. Eighth Street (Highway 75) at Seventh Avenue South in Moorhead - Replacement of traffic signal and other intersection upgrades.
Motorist advisory: Expect lane closures.
Projected cost: $260,000
Estimated completion date:
mid-summer
22. Highway 75 at Clay County Road 12 (60th Avenue South) - Roundabout construction.
Motorist advisory: Expect detour routes.
Projected cost: $2.2 million
Estimated completion date: August
Compiled by Forum staff
