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Fargo approves adjusted federal-aid project list; delays Seventeenth Avenue South and seeks MetroCOG approval
Summary
City staff asked the commission to approve an updated federal-aid application (STBG and other programs) for 2026—2029 that reprograms projects so Fargo can pursue funds made available by a West Fargo withdrawal; commission approved the recommended changes and staff noted federal funding uncertainty tied to ongoing federal actions.
Tom Nockworths (transportation staff) presented a revised federal-aid transportation program application for 2026—2029, explaining that recent changes from partner jurisdictions create an opportunity to reprogram Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) funds.
Background: the city bundles annual requests across multiple federal-aid buckets (surface transportation block grant/STBG, carbon reduction program, transportation alternatives, etc.). West Fargo informed MetroCOG that its programmed $6.3 million for a Thirteenth Avenue project is inadequate and that it would withdraw its application, freeing funds that MetroCOG could reallocate locally.
Staff recommended using the available funds to accelerate reconstruction of First Avenue North (University Drive to Tenth Street) and to delay Seventeenth Avenue South (30 Eighth Street to 20 Fifth Street) by one year so the Seventeenth Avenue project would seek STBG funding for 2030 instead of 2029. Staff said final allocations require MetroCOG Policy Board approval.
Commissioners asked whether the projects or federal aid were at risk given federal developments in Washington, D.C. Staff said there had been no direct communication that funds were jeopardized but acknowledged legal and programmatic uncertainty tied to national developments; staff said they would brief the commission if those federal developments affect programmed projects.
The commission voted to approve staff's recommended adjustments and to forward the application to MetroCOG: Strand: yes; Turnberg: aye; Kolpak: aye; Peppcorn: aye; Mahoney: aye.
What's next: staff will submit the revised application to MetroCOG for final programming decisions and will continue to monitor federal developments that could affect funding.
