Jill Schramm/MDN Vehicles travel 16th Street Southwest Monday near 11th Avenue. Plans to reconstruct the roadway could include configuration changes.

A plan to reconstruct a heavily traveled section of 16th Street Southwest is continuing on its way toward 2025 construction.

The Minot City Council on Monday approved an environmental document and voted to proceed with options for lane configurations and retention ponds. The next step is for the project to undergo review by the North Dakota Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration.

“What we’re doing here is we’re replacing the existing asphalt with new concrete from 14th Avenue up to Burdick,” said Matt Kinsella, project manager with Apex Engineering. “Also putting in new concrete at the Burdick intersection, replacing that concrete that’s out there now.”

The proposed project also calls for adding an additional center lane for left turns, which are absent in some locations on that stretch of 16th Street.

The project provides for an improved storm sewer system with a regional retention pond plan that will serve about 250 acres of watershed, Kinsella said.

In March, the council authorized splitting the 16th Street Southwest Reconstruction project into north and south halves, with the south half from Burdick Expressway to 14th Avenue Southwest slated for construction in 2025. The north half runs from Burdick to Second Avenue Southwest and is planned for 2028 construction. That section generated the most public comment last fall. Among proposed alternatives in that area has been a roundabout at Seventh Avenue.

The current focus, though, is on the southern portion. The proposed reconstruction between Burdick Expressway and 14th Avenue Southwest includes:

-30 mph from 11th Avenue Southwest to Burdick Expressway, where the speed limit currently changes from 40 to 25 mph.

-new traffic signal system at 11th Avenue Southwest.

-revised traffic signal at Burdick Expressway.

-new lighting on 16th Street Southwest.

-drainage improvements at 12th Avenue Southwest, east of 16th Street.

-expand storm sewer system capacity with new retention ponds.

The council adopted the engineers’ preferred alternative for two retention ponds on the west side of 16th Street, between 11th and 14th avenues. The alternative meets the requirement for a 100-year storm event, lowers the duration of flooding at the 16th Street/Burdick intersection railroad underpass and is the preferred alternative of the landowner.

Responding to concern that the ponds would attract wildlife that could impact motorists, Minot City Engineer Lance Meyer said trees will be removed from that area as ponds as constructed, making the environment less attractive to wildlife.

The project cost for reconstruction from Burdick to 14th Avenue is estimated in 2025 dollars at just over $15 million, of which the federal government would provide nearly $8.13 million.

The council also approved an increase to engineering fees on the project on Monday. Due to project complexity and time involved, Apex Engineering requested and was granted an additional $1.44 million above the $698,650 in the original agreement.

City seeks input on use of CDBG funds

Residents are invited to provide input into a Community Development Block Grant five-year plan being developed by the City of Minot. A public meeting will be held Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in Minot City Hall, 10 3rd St. SW.

Elizabeth McNannay with Resource Consultants, who also is a technical assistance provider for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, told the Minot City Council Monday that HUD’s CDBG program for entitlement communities such as Minot has three principles – decent housing, suitable living environment and to expand economic opportunities, primarily for low- and moderate-income residents.

“The core principles really are about benefit to the most vulnerable people within the community and community participation,” McNannay said. “We really want to encourage people to come out and talk about what the most pressing, unmet needs are in the community and leveraging with partners. The city can’t do all of the things that need to be done necessarily, or implement all of the programs that may be undertaken with CDBG funds. It’s really about working with community partners.”

Certain public services also are eligible for CDBG funding, she said. They could include services for the homeless, seniors and people with disabilities or drug abuse counseling and treatment, domestic violence services and child care.

– Jill Schramm