Fergus Falls to enter MDOT cooperative agreement for TH‑210 roundabout; city share rises to roughly $900,000

City staff asked the committee on Aug. 27 to approve a Minnesota Department of Transportation cooperative-construction agreement (contract No. 1059845) covering the trunk‑highway 210 roundabout, associated bridge work and trail/aesthetic elements.

"We received this agreement from MDOT... this agreement lays out what the local share for that project is going to be," staff presenter Kyle told the committee. He explained district staff inserted language in error that would have allowed the city to perform construction engineering and inspection on state roadway work. State central office required that language be removed; as a result the city’s share shifts from 3% to 8%, increasing the local obligation by roughly $32,000 and raising the city total from about $868,000 to just over $900,000.

Project schedule and funding: bid letting is planned for November, with construction starting in spring 2026 and anticipated completion the following fall (one construction season) depending on bridge work. Kyle said approximately $700,000 of the city obligation is expected to come from Minnesota state aid and additional trail funding (a federal Transportation Alternatives grant) will cover trail portions; staff will verify the final funding mix and present details at the Monday council meeting.

Councilors asked about possible exit closures during construction; staff said specific closures and detours are not yet finalized. The committee voted to forward the agreement to the council with the corrected inspection language and updated local-share figures.

What’s next: staff to provide a complete funding breakdown and any timing or traffic‑control plans to the council for final authorization.