Current Construction Status & The Latest Construction Project News

North Dakota Department of Transportation For Release: May 13, 2008 Beam Setting Scheduled for 52nd Ave. S Interchange; Overnight Closures Required for I-29 (Fargo, N.D.) – Beginning Wednesday night, May 14 at 7:00 p.m., the North Dakota Department of Transportation will close northbound Interstate-29 at 52nd Ave. S to accommodate work on the new 52nd Ave. S overpass structure that crosses over I-29 traffic. Overnight closures are scheduled to take place Wednesday and Thursday nights from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. while crews set beams on the new bridge. The NDDOT anticipates four beams will be set Wednesday night, and the remaining five will be set Thursday night. Beam setting cannot be done in conditions of rain or lightening, so the closures are dependent on the weather. Crews will also be building the protective canopy for the new structure during these night closures. The work was coordinated to take place simultaneously with the beam setting in order to minimize the number of nights impacted with I-29 closures. Once the canopy is in place, the overhead clearance for northbound I-29 traffic traveling under 52nd Ave. S will be 16 feet. This clearance will be in effect until construction of the new overpass structure is completed. During the closure, traffic will be diverted off northbound I-29 at the 52nd Ave. S interchange via the off- and on-ramps of I-29.  “Closing I-29 and routing traffic up the ramps is the only way to safety set beams on the east span of the 52nd Ave. S structure over I-29 traffic,” said NDDOT Transportation Engineer Joe Peyerl. “The NDDOT is only allowing the closure of I-29 to start after the p.m. rush since that will minimize traffic impacts,” Peyerl added. Crews will have the northbound I-29 lanes reopened each morning by 6:00 a.m. Southbound I-29 will not be impacted by this week’s closures, but drivers are advised to use caution and be aware of slow moving trucks in the project area. Flaggers and temporary lighting will be onsite. Drivers are encouraged to pay attention to construction signage, and to allow extra time to reach their destinations. What’s Next: Beam setting and canopy work on the west span of the 52nd Ave. S bridge (over southbound I-29) is tentatively scheduled to take place next week on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Plans will be confirmed early next week.

38th Street S to be Closed Near 52nd Ave S Interchange (Fargo, N.D.) – Effective Thursday morning, May 15, the west frontage road (38th Street S) will be closed during the construction of its new alignment with the interchange of 52nd Ave. S and I-29. The affected segment of 38th St. S is between 52nd Ave. S and just south of Great Plains Drive S. The closure is required to accommodate construction of new interchange ramps and frontage roads. Detours will not be posted; drivers are advised to find alternate routes that best fit their travel plans. The newly aligned 38th St. S is expected to be reopened this fall.

City of Fargo Announces Part of 52nd Ave. S Closing Sunday (April 18, 2008) Fargo, N.D. — (Press Release issued by the City of Fargo) - Beginning Sunday evening, April 20, the City of Fargo will close 52nd Avenue South between University Drive (Highway 81) and 25th Street. This closure is necessary to accommodate the extensive reconstruction planned for 52nd Avenue. Project managers expect this section of 52nd Avenue to remain closed for up to 90 days. Traffic will be detoured to 58th Avenue South via University Drive and 25th Street throughout this closure. The city urges motorists traveling 52nd Avenue South to comply with all posted speed limits in the construction zones. To see a video about road construction projects planned for Fargo in 2008, visit the “Videos” link at www.cityoffargo.com/cityinfo or visit www.tvfargo.com to see when the video will air on cable channel 99.

I-29 Traffic Impacts Expected During Overhead Power Line Work (April 29, 2008) (Fargo, N.D.) – Starting at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning, April 30, crews will begin stringing power lines over I-29 just north of the 52nd Ave. S interchange. To ensure a safe environment for both the traveling public and power line crews, I-29 traffic will be impacted with reduced speed limits and some complete stops. Traffic will need to be halted as power lines are strung across the interstate and lifted to their permanent locations. Traffic speeds on I-29 will be reduced to 20 MPH in this work zone, and drivers may experience stopped traffic for periods lasting up to three minutes. The North Dakota Highway Patrol will be onsite to ensure drivers are traveling with caution and obeying posted speed limits. Drivers are encouraged to pay attention to flaggers and construction signage, and to allow extra time to reach their destinations. The project is expected to take three hours, at which time I-29 speeds will be resumed to 40 MPH in the work area near 52nd Ave. S.

At the I-29/52nd Ave S interchange, one NB lane and one SB I-29 lane are closed. Speeds are reduced to 40 MPH.

The frontage road is closed in the NE quadrant of the I-29/52nd Ave S interchange.

Lanes are head-to-head on the 12th Ave N bridge over the railroad tracks. Speeds are reduced to 25 MPH