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Commission approves $89,000 task order to retime West Fargo traffic signals
Summary
The commission approved Task Order No. 5 with consultant Bolton & Menk for $89,000 to conduct citywide signal retiming and operations, including recently added signals and those affected by upcoming turn-lane projects.
The West Fargo City Commission on Feb. 3 approved Task Order No. 5 with Bolton & Menk Inc. for $89,000 to retime and evaluate traffic signals across the city.
Dan Hansen, city engineer, said the city typically retimes signals about every five years to ensure signals operate efficiently given changing traffic patterns and new development. "About every five years, we go through a process where we retime the signals," Hansen said, noting new signals and recent development (for example the Bluestem and 23rd Avenue area near Costco) have changed traffic patterns.
Hansen said the task order will let Bolton & Menk evaluate each signal and return recommendations. The consultant also is doing design work for an upcoming summer project to realign turn lanes on Ninth and Vets; incorporating those signals into the retiming work will provide coordinated timing once the physical changes are made.
Commissioners asked whether signals on Main Avenue — which are on a state highway and thus require coordination — would be included. "They will be looked at along with this, but we do need to coordinate with the DOT if we're going to make any modifications to the timing of those lights," Hansen said, adding Bolton & Menk has already made slight modifications in response to citizen reports.
Hansen described potential performance changes such as extending yellow timing and adding countdown or warning devices. He also said the task order cost is well under the $375,000 line item previously in the 2024 CIP.
Commissioner Olsen moved to approve Task Order No. 5 for $89,000; Commissioner Jorgensen seconded. The motion passed on a voice vote.
Hansen later clarified that while the city had earlier said the DOT owned right-of-way, the city owns and operates the signals; DOT retains authority over state roadway decisions and some coordination remains necessary for Main Avenue.
