Center Ave Project

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The City of Moorhead initiated a planning and preliminary engineering study of the Center Ave Corridor from the Red River to 8 St in 2017. The City has a project programmed to rehabilitate this Corridor in 2021.

The City previously completed a study of the project corridor cooperatively with Metro COG and MnDOT in 2013. The 2013 Corridor Study included multiple corridors including Highway 10, Highway 75, and Center Ave. The 2017-2018 study re-evaluated alternatives included within the 2013 Corridor Study along with some additional alternatives to ensure the corridor is examined with a complete streets approach which studies all modes of transportation, existing and proposed development, the overall safety of the corridor for all users, and options to improve the corridor aesthetics. An overview of the study process is noted below.

Center Avenue Construction Update as of 7.16.19

Water main replacement and bridge repairs are complete; road restriped to 3 lanes.

Center Avenue reopened late yesterday afternoon after completing water main replacement and bridge repairs. Commuters will notice the road has been restriped to 3 lanes (eastbound and westbound driving lanes and a center turning lane). This change is implemented as part of the Center Avenue Corridor Study to improve safety after receiving input from residents and business owners last fall.

Within the next week, the traffic signal light at Center Avenue and 7 St/Center Mall Avenue will be removed and replaced with a southbound stop sign. This change was also recommended as part of the Center Avenue Corridor Study to improve traffic flow.

Center Avenue Construction Update as of 5.14.19

Water Main & Bridge completion July 2019, other street improvements delayed to 2021

The water main replacement on Center Avenue from the River to 8 Street and Center Avenue bridge repair are expected to be completed mid-July, weather permitting. Additional street improvements were planned and bid, but the single bid received for the street improvements was approximately $800,000 (37%) higher than the engineer’s estimate, and the bid was formally rejected to allow a revision of the plans that may result in competitive bids.

In the short-term while the bridge and water main project are underway, staff will move forward with some of the low-cost items that were part of the original project, including:

Tree removal north of US Bank and straightening of curb and street (complete)
Tree removal, sign relocation, and modification of a planter to achieve sight distance at 7 St
Pavement repair following water main replacement
Restripe to 3-lane section west of 7 St
Removal of traffic signal at 7 St
Change other traffic signal heads to reflect restriping

Continued evaluation and consultation with the Center Avenue stakeholders will help the City to develop a recommendation on how to proceed with the larger scope of street improvements in the future, but not in the 2019 construction season.

Property owners and businesses will be notified of future opportunities for involvement. In the interim, please contact the Engineering Department or Derrick LaPoint of Downtown Moorhead Inc. at 218.443.1361 with any questions.

Center Avenue Traffic Impacts as of 04.29.2019:

Watermain Replacement from 4 - 8 St will reduce traffic to one lane in each direction. Center Avenue bridge repair will soon follow. Traffic will be rerouted to 1 Ave N once the Center Ave Bridge closes, but Center Ave leading up to the bridge will remain open. The Center Avenue work is expected to last until mid-July.