West Fargo construction slows travel

A three-minute drive to school or work turned into 15 minutes for some families once construction season started in West Fargo.

A stretch of 13th Avenue west of Sheyenne Street is closed for reconstruction, leaving just one access road for residents of the Elmwood Court and Sheyenne Park neighborhoods.

"I think it will be really nice when it's done, but oh, man, it's a mess," said Julie Reiter, who lives with her husband,Darrel, on Sheyenne Park Place.

The avenue is closed from Sheyenne Street west to a ditch near the corner where 13th Avenue turns into 14th Street West.

Without being able to cross 13th Avenue, it was a challenge for the Reiters to drive their children, Justin, 10, and Amanda, 12, to their schools on time.

Three school bus routes started running five minutes earlier to deal with the construction, said Brad Redmond, West Fargo School District transportation director.

The problem is that vehicles from those neighborhoods are detoured to traffic-choked Sheyenne Street via 19th Avenue West.

For the Reiters, the fastest way to take Justin to West Side Elementary - normally a trip of just a few minutes - was to take Interstate 94 west to Main Avenue and then to school at 945 7th Ave. W.

Police officers at one point needed to direct traffic during the afternoon rush at 19th Avenue West and Sheyenne Street while bugs were worked out with temporary traffic signals.

West Fargo Police Capt. Mike Reitan said traffic moves more smoothly now. Still, residents said they've seen vehicles lined up for blocks.

"It feels like you're in Minneapolis," said Ken Buresh, who now must use 19th Avenue West to leave his neighborhood.

Residents of developments like Eagle Run on the south side of Interstate 94 also use Sheyenne Street.

Lately, the road picks up extra traffic because of construction on 45th Street South, said Chris Brungardt, a West Fargo engineering assistant.

"I think people need to start varying their travel times," Brungardt said. "They just kind of need to expect delays."

The delays and limited access could be a concern for emergency vehicles, but the design of the construction didn't allow for another way, said Reitan.

"The delay that we do have is not a concern at this point," he said. "It's fairly short. The route obviously is an extended route, but we don't see it as a problem at this point."

Additional access to Elmwood Court and Sheyenne Park should be available by July 4, when both Eighth and 10th streets west will be open, Brungardt said.

The traffic signal at 19th Avenue and Sheyenne Street will be permanent, he said.

The entire $2.2 million project should be finished in the fall, said project manager Eric Medbery of Moore Engineering.

Workers will rebuild the road, replace the bridge over the Sheyenne River with box culverts, do sewer and water work, and build a bike path that will tie into Elmwood Park, Medbery said.

Jeff Stein, who lives on Sheyenne Park Place, looks forward to the new avenue because it will improve the neighborhood in the long run.

"I hated the street because the cracks were just terrible," Stein said. "Maybe now it will be better."

But for Jeremy Hultin, who lives on 15th Avenue West, getting to and from the races at the nearby Red River Valley Fairgrounds now takes a little longer.

"Anytime you have a crowd, I guess, it's going to happen," said fair manager Bruce Olson. "But I guess everybody's pretty good about it."

The grounds are accessible only from Main Avenue while 13th Avenue is under construction, including during the Red River Valley Fair from June 17-26.

But the construction shouldn't be too much of a problem, Olson said.

"We've lived with it forever, we're always going to live with it," he said. "To me, it's progress. You've got to do it."

Readers can reach Forum reporter Andrea Domaskin at (701) 241-5556