Zone: Downtown
Project: Main Avenue Reconstruction Project
This week contractors for the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) and City of Fargo will begin reconstruction work on the next major intersection in the first year of the Main Avenue makeover project.
By 7 a.m. Tuesday, June 25, crews will fully close Main Avenue and Broadway intersection to drivers for the next few months. Pedestrian travel through the intersection will always be maintained during the reconstruction work in downtown Fargo. The Main Avenue and 4th Street South intersection reopened to north – south traffic this weekend.
Project work in the Main Avenue and Broadway intersection is slated to take 75 days. In the fourth project phase, crews will begin installing sanitary sewer at the intersection.
When traffic control is in place, drivers and pedestrians can expect:
- Main Avenue fully closed between 4th Street South to Broadway and between 2nd Street South to 4th St S with 4th St S intersection open
- North side Main Avenue driveways access from 2nd Street South and Main Avenue by temporary road east of the storage units
- Gateway Center driveways remain open off 4th Street South
- South side pedestrian path between 2nd Street South to Broadway
- Local access to north side parking lots via temporary driveway at the northeast corner of Broadway intersection
- Business access between Main and Broadway through driveways off 1st Avenue South
The posted detour route is Northern Pacific (NP) Avenue between 8th St and 2nd St S with 1st Avenue North bridge open as a river crossing. In July, the Center Avenue bridge is slated to reopen as a crossing into Moorhead.
Congestion is expected on the detour routes during peak hours of travel through downtown Fargo and into Moorhead. The NDDOT and City of Fargo urge motorists to not stop on railroad tracks and allow space between the vehicle ahead of you when congestion exists near railroad crossing on 8th Street South. Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead and think about the best routes based on your travel time through the area.
PROJECT WORK
Crews are working east and west of the 4th St S intersection to complete roadway and sidewalk paving operations, sanitary sewer installation and temporary lighting systems to allow for the removal of the existing streetlights. When work is complete east of 4th St S a stop sign will be used on the east side of intersection for local access.
Although the contractor can work on roadway phases concurrently, there are a few exceptions to the reconstruction phasing:
- Broadway and 4th Street South intersections could not be closed at the same time
- Work could begin on the roadway removals and underground between 4th Street South intersection and east of Broadway intersection can start ahead of the opening of 4th Street South intersection, which will remove on-street parking on Main Avenue in this stretch.
- 2nd St S and Main Avenue intersection work will be maintained westbound to northbound, and southbound to eastbound on 2nd St S until early August
- Pedestrian access to all businesses along Main Avenue will be provided and sidewalk work will not begin until after the roadway is complete. Temporary on-road delineated paths will be used by pedestrians during the sidewalk work.
This year's project work will wrap up at 2nd Street South intersection where crews will build a two-lane roundabout. Main Avenue will remain closed to through traffic until the roundabout construction is complete in October.
PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETINGS
Next biweekly public information meeting will be 11:30 a.m. to Noon, Thursday July 18, at the Depot (701 Main Avenue).
PROJECT OVERVIEW
The two-year makeover of Main Avenue in downtown Fargo is a joint project between the NDDOT and City of Fargo to transform this gateway into a safe, accessible and beautiful passageway to and through the heart of Fargo.
The project will improve 50 – 60-year-old underground infrastructure, an aging driving surface and lessen the pedestrian system gaps through the downtown corridor. The 2019 project work from the Red River through Broadway includes:
- Upgrade existing water main, sanitary sewer system and storm sewer
- Construction roundabout at the 2nd St intersection
- Replace roadway pavement, traffic signals, street lighting and landscaping features
- Widen pedestrian facilities on both sides of Main Avenue, with new pedestrian crossings
- Additional on-street parking
In 2020, the second-year of reconstruction work will improve Main Avenue between Broadway to University Drive in downtown Fargo. When the roadway is complete next fall, Main Avenue roadway will be a hybrid design consisting of a 3-lane alternative from 2nd Street to 9th Street, transitioning to a 4-lane section between 9th Street and 11th Street, and a 5-lane section west of 11th Street as well as double-lane roundabout at the Main Avenue and 2nd St S intersection.
**Please remember all schedules are tentative and weather dependent.