Beginning this week, Thursday, April 26 at 5 a.m., contractors for the 13th Avenue Road Reconstruction and Infrastructure Improvement Project will begin the first phase between 45th Street S in Fargo to 12th Street E in West Fargo. This work zone will be active until October 2018.

Access and use of 13th Avenue will remain open with at least one lane of traffic plus turning lanes open in both eastbound and westbound directions. Short-term intersection closures will occur in each phase.

For the first 2 – 3 weeks, crews will begin construction activity in the center of the roadway. The inside driving lane next to the median will be closed in each direction. Traffic will become reduced and shift to the outside driving lanes.

Business access will be maintained and access will continue from current side streets during the construction project. As the project progresses, there will be shifts in traffic control and open driving lanes, temporary lane reductions and short-term intersection closures.

How will you move through 13th Avenue?

Traffic Control in Each Direction – NEXT 2 - 3 WEEKS:

• The inside driving lane next to the center median will be closed
• Outside driving lanes and turn lanes will stay open
• Motorists will remain on their respective side of travel
• Surrounding side streets will be accessible

(Phase 1 Traffic Control Map)

What will be different about access - driving and pedestrian traffic?

Access Change in Each Direction – NEXT 2 - 3 WEEKS:

• ONE DRIVING LANE CLOSED: Inside lanes adjacent to the median in both directions will close while construction activity starts in the center of the roadway.
• INTERMITTENT INTERSECTION CLOSURES: In this phase, 13th Avenue intersections of 50th Street, and 47th Street will only be closed for a few days at a time when construction activities are taking place to remove the three-quarter medians found in the center of the road. All other intersections will remain open at all times.
• SIDEWALKS CLOSED: North to south pedestrian crossing will be at 9th or 45th Streets. Pedestrians traveling through the work zone will need to access sidewalks on the side streets to travel safely throughout.

What will crews be doing on the road?

Project work – NEXT 2 - 3 WEEKS:

• Construction activity will begin in the center of the roadway with the removal of center median to accommodate traffic shifts for reconstruction work
• Temporary pavement crossovers will be installed east of 9th Street E (by the Holiday Gas Station) and west of 45th Street S (by Beds by Design) to support traffic shifts
• Temporary asphalt will be installed in the center median to accommodate construction activities and support traffic shifts
• Temporary traffic signals and lighting has started to be installed  

This will be a busy and active work zone. Truck traffic will increase during initial phases of work on each side of the roadway. Construction equipment and truck traffic will be exiting and entering into live traffic with the assistance of flaggers.

Project Overview:

The project will include the construction of a new 6-lane roadway in Fargo and 3-lane westbound and 2-lane eastbound roadway in West Fargo, as well as above and below ground infrastructure improvements from 45th Street S in Fargo to 12th Street E in West Fargo (approximately 1 mile). Project work includes: concrete paving, curb and gutter, shared-use path, city utilities, street lights and traffic signal improvements.

The purpose of the project is to replace aging infrastructure, with a goal of improving both pedestrian and vehicular safety and increasing roadway capacity.

The anticipated phase schedule is:

• Phase 1 completion –  Early May
• Phase 2 completion – End of June
• Phase 3 completion – Middle of Septmeber
• Phase 4 completion – Middle of October  
• 45th Street intersection pavement repairs – Approximately 3 weeks in June
• Project completion – Middle of October (100% traffic open)

Project Information:
Construction Cost: Approximately $8.8 million
Funding: The project is 100% locally funded.

• Fargo’s portion is funded by a combination of local utility, infrastructure sales tax, and special assessments
• West Fargo’s portion is funded by sales tax funds and special assessments

Traffic Counts:

• Daily traffic count throughout the project is approximately 30,000 vehicles per day
• The project will safely accommodate higher traffic counts

Speed Limits: Speeds will be reduced to 25 mph and flaggers will be present

• Fargo and West Fargo Police Departments will be conducting traffic blitzes to help keep safe speeds and work zone

Peak travel times: Monday – Friday, 7 - 9 AM & 4 - 6 PM, and Saturday afternoons

• Congestion expected during these times

Adjacent Project Work:

Ninth Street E & 13th Avenue Intersection
This week, the City of West Fargo project began the spring phase to complete the addition of dual left turn lanes on northside and southside of 9th Street E together with the addition of a northbound lane on 9th Street E from 13th Avenue to 7th Avenue E.

• 13th Avenue and Ninth Street E intersection will remain open
• Work is anticipated to run through July

Sheyenne Street

With Sheyenne Street reconstruction beginning in May, it is anticipated that additional traffic will move through 13th Avenue area and increase the area congestion in the project limits.