15th Avenue N Corridor Study
Posted: 4/23/2024
Responses due: 5/15/2024
This corridor study on 15th Avenue N between County Road 9 and County Road 11 in Clay County Minnesota.
PROJECT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
MnDOT, Metro COG, and the City of Dilworth recently concluded a study of TH10 through Dilworth. This study identified cross section alternatives for the future reconstruction of the TH10 from 34th Street (the western boundary of Dilworth) and 14th Street (the eastern boundary of Dilworth). One alternative developed during that study was a reduction of the current four-lane section in Dilworth’s traditional downtown area to a three-lane section. The current and future traffic volumes on TH10 could be accommodated with the proposed lane reduction. However, the project participants thought there was a risk since TH10 is one of the only connections in and out of the region. Since Dilworth is on the eastern edge of the urbanized area, alternate roadway connections do not exist.
The TH10 Corridor Study through Dilworth identified alternate corridors that could be improved to provide alternate routes for TH10 traffic originating from the northern parts of the region destined for 1-94 or TH10 eastbound as well as alternate routes for Dilworth residents to access retail opportunities such as the Dilworth Walmart. 15th Avenue N was identified as one of those alternate corridors.
15th Avenue N provides for continuous east/west travel across Dilworth and Moorhead, with a bridge over the Red River of the North providing access into North Fargo via 12th Avenue N. The roadway is paved from the Red River to County Road 9, at which point it turns to gravel. The 15th Avenue N corridor has long since been a popular route for those wishing to avoid weekend congestion on TH10, as it connects County Road 11/MN336 which becomes a divided highway providing access to TH10 and I-94. So much so, that the roadway condition in the gravel parts of the corridor has greatly suffered.
At the core of this study, Metro COG would like the Consultant to develop alternatives for the improvement of 15th Avenue N, between County Road 9 and County Road 11. The aim of the study is to develop paved roadway alternatives for this section of 15th Avenue N and to consider the proper jurisdictional ownership for the ongoing operation and maintenance of the roadway. The consultant should consider ROW needs, impacts to adjacent properties, utility infrastructure, future connections into Dilworth, intersection treatments, and the like.
The gravel portion of the roadway is the separation of Oakport and Moorhead townships. The consultant should facilitate discussions with the townships, Clay County, and the City of Dilworth on the future jurisdictional owner of the roadway.
The consultant should also work with the City of Dilworth, Clay County, and the townships on evaluating the future land use that should be shown along the corridor. Specifically using that to develop a plan for any multimodal transportation facilities such as shared-use paths that should be considered.
Clay County Legal Ditch 41 runs along the south side of the corridor impacting the availability of ROW. This drainage ditch has the potential to greatly impact the feasibility of alternatives and therefore should be taken into consideration in the development of alternatives.
