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Fargo advances design and environmental review for 12th Avenue North bridge, recommends off‑alignment route and mini roundabout
Summary
The Fargo City Commission approved advancing the environmental document and final design for the 12th Avenue North bridge project, endorsing the lower‑impact off‑alignment alternative and a mini roundabout at Elm/12th to improve resiliency and pedestrian access; construction funding was not approved and will require grant awards and future commission action.
Fargo officials voted to advance the 12th Avenue North bridge replacement to the environmental‑review and design phase, a step city staff said will make the project shovel ready while construction funding is still pending. The commission approved the motion in a roll‑call vote after staff presented alternatives and answered commissioners’ questions.
Transportation Division Engineer Jeremy Gordon told the commission the existing bridge has flooded multiple times — “in the last 15 years it’s gone underwater eight times” — and staff weighed a no‑build option, an on‑alignment rebuild and an off‑alignment rebuild that shifts the footprint slightly toward the Moorhead/Morehead side. Gordon said the off‑alignment option is his recommendation because it needs less permanent right‑of‑way on the Morehead side, avoids larger impacts to Jack Williams Stadium and is roughly $3 million cheaper in the department’s estimate.
Gordon also recommended replacing the signal option at Elm and 12th with a mini roundabout, saying it is “$1–2 million cheaper than the traffic signal,” improves peak‑hour operations and was the majority public preference in outreach. He added that designs will ensure large vehicles and plows can navigate the roundabout.
Commissioners pressed staff on flood risk, traffic redistribution, pedestrian and bike connectivity, and the funding path. Gordon said the current bridge floods at a 27‑foot stage while regional diversion planning allows 37 feet through town, so the recommended replacement would be built above the 37‑foot stage for resiliency. He said the project’s environmental and design work is under contract and that staff will pursue discretionary USDOT grants for construction; he emphasized that no construction funds were approved at the meeting and that any construction would return for separate Commission approval.
Mayor placed the motion to approve the environmental document and final design, the motion was seconded and passed by roll call.
Next steps: staff will finalize the NEPA/engineering documents, prepare grant applications to USDOT and present construction funding options to the commission if grants or other funds become available.
