Fargo sets priority for street projects in anticipation of stimulus highway funds

FARGO - Fargo is positioning itself to take advantage of a potential $8.5 million more in federal funding for street and highway projects this year as part of an economic stimulus package promised by the incoming administration of President-elect Barack Obama.

The City Commission voted 5-0 in a special meeting today to forward a list of street projects to the North Dakota Department of Transportation that can be planned and started in the next three to six months and to allow city staff to contact and interview engineering consultants for some of the projects

City Engineer Mark Bittner said the list will be sent to the DOT by Friday. He said he will have recommendations for consultants to hire for three projects ready for commission approval by Jan. 26.

Bittner said the DOT told the city 10 days ago that it expects to get $200 million more in funding for street and highway projects under the proposed stimulus plan. About $8.5 million of that would be Fargo's share, he said.

The state normally receives $200 and $250 million in federal infrastructure funding annually, so the stimulus plan could double federal road and highway funding in the state for 2009, Bittner said.

The city has a list of 21 projects that could be built in the next two years, but nine projects eligible for about $9.6 million in federal funding were listed as priority projects that could be ready for this spring, summer and fall, Bittner said.

Projects include:

- Water main replacement and street reconstruction of First Avenue North from University Drive to 25th Street North

- Bridge repair of NP Avenue at the Red River

- Bridge replacement of the 38th Street bridge over Drain 27

- Bridge widening on 45th Street South over Drain 27

- Milling and overlay projects on Main Avenue from 2nd Street to 25th Street and 25th Street South from 23rd Avenue South to Rose Coulee

- Citywide pavement marking

- Citywide traffic signal painting

- Asphalt overlay on University Drive North from 32nd Avenue North to County Road 20.

The city will also pursue any stimulus money set aside for water, wastewater, flood control and transit projects, Mayor Dennis Walaker said.

City Administrator Pat Zavoral said the commission may be asked to approve project lists for those areas in the next 90 days.

"None of our projects are pork barrel," Walaker said. "They all benefit the people."

Find out more Thursday in The Forum.