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County seeks traffic and safety plans as festival set to draw thousands near Cardinal Center
Summary
Officials told commissioners that festival organizers have contracted national teams for security and medical services and are planning traffic controls; staff urged clear public notice and review of evacuation, mass-casualty and severe-weather plans before the event.
County emergency staff and commissioners discussed preparations for a large festival at the Cardinal Center, emphasizing traffic controls, emergency access and the need to notify nearby residents and businesses.
Director Nelson told the board the event’s organizers have a national operations team in place and plan to run medical services from a large white barn on the west side of the Cardinal Center property. "They're talking about 10 to 15,000 now instead of 20,000," Nelson said, describing the event size now being discussed.
Nelson and other staff described specific public-safety measures organizers proposed: a medical tent on-site, gravel access roads for primitive camping, interstate signage directing traffic toward Fargo, and the possibility of a temporary traffic light to manage large flows. Nelson asked to review the organizers’ evacuation, mass-casualty and severe-weather plans and requested that the county and partner agencies confirm inspection and emergency access points.
Commissioners flagged neighborhood impacts, noting that a nearby area across from a Dollar Tree warehouse could see significant congestion. Nelson suggested using Chamber of Commerce channels or other local outreach to make sure residents, schools and local service providers know about the expected traffic and inspections schedule.
There was no formal county action recorded on the festival during the meeting; commissioners requested staff follow up with organizers and partner agencies on traffic-control assignments, inspection timing and final emergency plans.
The county said it would coordinate inspections with health and fire departments and planned to join a site meeting with state police and ODOT to finalize traffic-control measures ahead of the event.
