Bridge plans span imaginations

By Lauren Radomski | The Daily Journal

Published 12:00 p.m., November 11, 2009

Kim Embretson lives in one of about 16 homes located off of Tower Road on the south side of the Pisgah Reservoir.

Like many of his neighbors, Embretson is curious about city and county plans for extending Tower Road and has a few ideas on how to make the project a successful one.

Take a roundabout for example.

He believes the roundabout will help slow traffic and reduce noise.

That was one idea being floated by residents of a quiet neighborhood destined to be affected by Tower Road in the future.

A public hearing on the Tower Road bridge and street project Tuesday gave Fergus Falls residents a chance to weigh-in on the project’s next steps.

Tuesday’s hearing came after Fergus Falls and Otter Tail County officials completed a joint federal/state document detailing the impacts of the project on noise, traffic and natural resources. Though the hearing was primarily intended to address environmental concerns, it was also a forum for people living at the center of the proposed construction.

The major aim of the Tower Road bridge project is to create another crossing over the Otter Tail River, said Avo Toghramadjian, project manager with SRF Consulting Group. The southwest side of Fergus Falls is a potential growth area, he said, and increasing traffic on Union Avenue stands to decrease the capabilities of the street.

In addition to building the bridge connection, the project includes street work from Interstate 94 at Exit 55 along County Road 1 to Tower Road, connecting with Lincoln Avenue. A roundabout would direct traffic at the intersection of Tower Road and county roads 1 and 15. The intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Tower Road, long an accident-prone crossing, would be signalized.

People in Embretson’s neighborhood began meeting to discuss the project a few years ago and several of them were at Tuesday’s meeting where the idea of a roundabout became one of several topics of conversation.

A roundabout has what Toghramadjian calls “traffic-calming benefits,” forcing drivers to slow to 20 to 25 mph but allowing them to proceed through the intersection if traffic is light.

Residents also wanted a path allowing them to cross the bridge as pedestrians or bikers, Embretson said. That path is also a part of the proposed project, running from Alcott Avenue along Tower Road, across the bridge and connecting with an existing trail along Lincoln Avenue.

Ken and Cheryl Klipfel moved to Tower Road from out of state about a year ago, learning of the bridge project about two weeks before closing on their house. Now they’re trying to anticipate what potential roadwork and traffic increases will mean for their property.

The couple said Tuesday they anticipate losing about half of their front yard, which would be separated from Tower Road by a frontage road.

“People will probably be able to look in your windows when they’re driving by,” Ken Klipfel said half-jokingly.

Like Embretson, Cheryl Klipfel said she thinks a roundabout is a good solution to traffic and noise increases. She’s concerned about the condition of her neighborhood during construction and wants project planners to stick to their promise not to issue assessments.

Assessments are not part of the project’s funding as it stands now. Of the estimated $14.5 million cost, officials have secured $12.7 million through a combination of federal funds and local gas tax dollars. The city and the county have requested the remaining $1.8 million by way of an appropriation from the Legislature.

One of the major factors dictating the project’s schedule is the availability of the federal funds - $7.7 million. Those dollars have a sunset date next fall, Toghramadjian said, requiring that planners enter into an agreement with a contractor before the end of September of 2010.

“It’s very doable,” he said. “We just need to be aware of the deadline.”

Construction is tentatively planned to begin next fall, though the majority of the work probably wouldn’t occur until spring 2011, Toghramadjian said. In his experience, a medium-sized contractor would likely complete the project in about a year, though Toghramadjian said restricting a contractor’s timeframe could increase the cost of bids.

A public comment period on the project’s environmental impact runs through Dec. 2, with input directed to City Engineer Dan Edwards. A copy of the environmental documents complied by planners is available for public review at the Government Services Center, Fergus Falls Public Library and the city’s Web site.

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