Hoeven, State, Local Officials Cut Ribbon on West Fargo Main Avenue Project
$14.6 Million Project Will Improve Safety, Enhance Commerce
WEST FARGO, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven was joined by state and city officials today to celebrate the opening of West Fargo’s Main Avenue project, a 1.4-mile long section of roadway connecting West Fargo to Fargo. The infrastructure upgrade was prompted by increased traffic on the route owing to economic and population growth in both communities.
The $10.1 million federal share comes from the state’s $245 million Fiscal Year 2011 U.S. Department of Transportation funding, which Senator Hoeven worked to pass.
Funding for the West Fargo Main Avenue project is as follows:
Federal $10.1 million
City/local $3.2 million
State $1.3 million
$14.6 million
The complete reconstruction of Main Avenue will improve traffic flow throughout the corridor, create direct business access, improve area drainage and most importantly increase safety of the traveling public. The project has also added new street lights, traffic lights, and ADA accessible multi-use pedestrian paths.
“This $14.6 million Main Avenue project is happening because of the kind of dynamic growth in population and economic activity we worked hard to achieve over a decade,” Hoeven said. “The completed Main Avenue project will make travel more convenient, more efficient, and importantly, safer for residents and businesses in both communities. Clearly, more people, more commerce and more economic activity are driving projects like this across North Dakota.”
The Main project is the second part of a three-phase plan. The first phase, begun in 2009, focused on the downtown West Fargo area, and phase 2, the current phase, upgraded the stretch of Main Avenue from 6th St. E. to 45th St. N/SW in Fargo. Design for the third phase will begin next year and focus on reconstruction of the Sheyenne Bridge and roadway west to I-94
In addition, Hoeven said the new transportation bill, MAP-21, passed in will July will bring a total of $764 million to North Dakota for infrastructure between 2012 and 2014. Combined with $317 million in Emergency Road funding that Congress passed last year to help with flood impacts in communities like Minot, Devils Lake and elsewhere, North Dakota will receive a record $1.08 billion needs over three years to address highway construction needs, flood recovery efforts and infrastructure projects statewide.
Also attending today’s ceremony were Gov. Jack Dalrymple, West Fargo Mayor Rich Mattern, N.D. Department of Transportation Director Francis Ziegler, state and local officials and business leaders.
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