The North Dakota Transportation Alternatives (TA) grant program awarded over $2 million to enhance pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure for 11 communities across the state. Through Interstate Engineering‘s multi-disciplinary approach to improving community infrastructure, our firm designed key placemaking projects for three clients, securing over 25% of the available funding. We are excited about the opportunity to partner with communities throughout North Dakota to enhance the quality of life and create a more resilient future.
Interstate Engineering developed a design toolkit for the City of Milnor (pop. 673) and helped enhance the city’s efforts in utilizing TA funding to pedestrianize their downtown. Milnor has a busy main street anchored by one of the few grocery stores in the region. The community will use TA funding to implement best practices in placemaking to ensure a safer, more inviting downtown environment. The project will feature mountable bump-outs, colored concrete patterns, street trees, pedestrian-scale lighting, and other value-adding features. The updated main street will enhance Milnor’s economic competitiveness as a hub for agricultural services and a place of quality, rural living.
On the other side of the state, Interstate Engineering worked with the City of Crosby to secure funding to connect their new $1.5 million pool and splash pad facility to the city’s central park. This will allow for families from across the city to safely access some of the most popular public spaces in town, minimizing short car trips and enhancing neighborly interactions. Additionally, the new sidewalks will be located along the city’s gateway corridor, linking with existing facilities to strengthen access to the central business district. This project coincides with Interstate Engineering’s work with the city to update the development ordinances.
In the Fargo region, Interstate Engineering continues to implement the pedestrian and bicycle master plan for the City of Horace. The TA program will fund construction for the second phase of the County Road 17 Shared-Use Path. This 10-foot path is the flagship item of the city’s master plan, serving as the main connector between the city’s older, more rural neighborhoods and Horace’s more densely developed focus areas: 1776 Mixed Use and Old Town. Phase 2 of the project will not only extend the pathway north but also fill in a critical link in the existing network, creating a 2.5-mile circuit that will increase pedestrian safety and promote a more balanced transportation network in the city’s rapidly developing core.
Interstate Engineering’s success during this year’s TA grant cycle highlights our global, collaborative, and citizen-first approach to solving infrastructure challenges. For more information on how we can help your development efforts and increase your community’s safety and resiliency, please contact Matt Lower, Planning Manager, at matt.lower@interstateeng.com.