City of Bemidji seeks easements from Beltrami County for planned roundabout; board raises youth-sports and property concerns

Sam Anderson, City of Bemidji city engineer and director of public works, told the Beltrami County Board that the city needs temporary and permanent easements on county-owned land to build a bypass road and a roundabout at 20 Third Street and Middle School Drive as part of a MnDOT-funded corridor project.

The roundabout and a temporary bypass are part of a federally funded RAISE grant project the city has been designing for three to four years, Anderson said. The city plans to reconstruct Hannah Avenue and Middle School Drive in summer 2025; MnDOT would bid and build the adjacent state-owned segment in 2026. Anderson said the temporary bypass is intended to preserve three‑way access during the roundabout phase and will be built on the south side of the intersection, affecting some parking at nearby ball fields.

Why it matters: the easements would affect county property used for the county’s remote solid-waste transfer station and recreational ball fields behind the Target shopping area. Commissioners said those county-owned parcels are sizable but expressed concern about coordination with youth-sports schedules,…