Engineering proposals sought for roads near school

by April Scheinoha Reporter The project may be a year or two in the making, but the Pennington County Board is preparing for an upcoming project to improve 150th Avenue Northeast, Pennington County Road 62 and potentially Kendall Avenue. At its meeting Tuesday, May 14, commissioners approved and heard about various housekeeping matters related to the project it’s undertaking with Rocksbury Township. County Engineer Mike Flaagan told commissioners that he has sent a request for proposals to local engineering firms for the project. He also asked for one commissioner to serve on a committee to choose the engineering consultant once the county has received proposals. Two township representatives will also serve on the committee. Commissioner Bruce Lawrence, who lives along CR 62, agreed to serve on the committee. Local leaders began mulling the project after Rocksbury Township leaders observed additional traffic on 150th Avenue Northeast between Pennington County State Aid Highway 8 and CR 62. The gravel road is located near Challenger Elementary School and east of the railroad tracks. Many motorists are using the roadway to travel to the school, Sanford Health, DigiKey and Arctic Cat. The county and Rocksbury Township have already received a $1.5 million Local Road Improvement Program grant for the project. Flaagan has suggested paving 150th Avenue Northeast, creating 12-foot lanes with a four-foot shoulder. The proposed project is estimated to cost $500,000 and, with the Local Road Improvement Program grant, the construction costs will be fully funded for Rocksbury Township. As part of that same grant, the county plans to urbanize CR 62 from Tindolph Avenue South to Hanson Drive as part of an estimated $2.4 million project. The specifics of that particular proposed project haven’t been formalized yet. Given the location of CR 62 and its connection with Kendall Avenue South, Flaagan broached the topic of improving the latter roadway with City of Thief River Falls leaders. That portion of the project was estimated to cost the city $374,797 as of last fall. That amount doesn’t include right-of-way acquisitions. Local government leaders estimated that the grant would cover $150,000 of that amount. The Thief River Falls City Council hasn’t yet formally decided if it will upgrade a gravel section of Kendall Avenue from Greenwood Street around a curve to Tindolph Avenue South. However, it formally joined the other entities when they applied for the grant. The Thief River Falls School Board also provided a resolution of support for the other entities’ grant application. At the County Board meeting, Commissioner Roy Sourdif asked Flaagan if Kendall Avenue will be improved as part of the project. Flaagan responded it was up to the Thief River Falls City Council. If the city wants to be involved in the project, he said the county and Rocksbury Township can include Kendall Avenue in the project. However, the county and township’s joint project doesn’t hinge on city involvement. In order to facilitate the project, commissioners approved various state aid-related matters. Flaagan explained there wasn’t enough state aid in the bank to make CR 62 into a CSAH. He said the county may request additional CSAH mileage; however, rural counties need to see more growth in order to allow such a change. To that end, commissioners revoked the CSAH designation of CSAH 19 between CSAHs 2 and 3. Located south of Hazel, CSAH 19 will now be known as County Road 79. That CSAH designation will then move to CR 80 south of CSAH 3. That section will now be known as CSAH 19. CR 62 will also now have the CSAH designation and will be known as CSAH 11. Lawrence abstained from voting on that matter since he lives along CR 62.