歪歪漫画

BEMIDJI 鈥� The Bemidji City Council narrowly squashed a proposal Monday that would have added three roundabouts to the Highway 197 business corridor.

Proposed by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the three roundabouts would have been installed between Hannah Avenue and Gillette Drive, with the goal of helping to reduce the severity of traffic accidents and increase access to the area for pedestrians and cyclists. The three roundabouts were proposed as Phase 1 of a long term reconstruction project for the busy traffic corridor.

鈥淲e鈥檙e either in the preservation mode or we鈥檙e in the reconstruct mode; and to be in the reconstruct mode, we have to address the safety concerns out there,鈥� MnDOT representative Darren Laesch told the council Monday night. He then added that roundabouts are an effective way to increase the safety of motorists. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a proven measure to reduce those injury-type crashes.鈥�

Council members Nancy Erickson, Jim Thompson, Ron Johnson and Mike Beard voted against the possible roundabouts. Bemidji Mayor Rita Albrecht and council members Michael Meehlhause and Emelie Rivera voted in favor of the possibility.

Because the council rejected the first phase of the roundabout proposal, Laesch said the concept of roundabouts for the entirety of the project has been scrapped.

鈥淲e鈥檙e definitely pushing our timeline back,鈥� Laesch told the Pioneer on Tuesday. 鈥淲e were proposing 2023 for that first construction phase, but now it will slide back to 2025 or 2026. We鈥檙e looking now at a preservation project focused on infrastructure. However, we do know there are some bike and pedestrian needs we鈥檇 like to address where we can.鈥�

When including both phases, the proposed project would have added six roundabouts on the corridor from Gillett Drive to Bemidji Avenue. Those roundabouts would have been installed at the Menards entrance, Middle 歪歪漫画 Avenue, Hannah Avenue, Pine Ridge Avenue and Bemidji Avenue.

In addition to the roundabouts, the project would reconstruct the road, storm sewers, gutters and allow for other utility work. The first phase was estimated to cost up to $8 million, with the second phase nearing $11 million.

Although the council ultimately denied the proposal, the reaction during Monday鈥檚 meeting to the possibility spanned the gap from support to opposition to requests for compromises in the scope of the project if the council did, in fact, allow it to move forward.

One of the community members who spoke on the issue, Wes Hegna, received an ovation from the rest of the those in attendance when he said he would like to see the council vote against the roundabouts.

Kevin Williamson of Super 8 said he was also against the proposal and said his business would lose quite a bit of property. He asked that his property be moved to the second phase if the council approved the motion Monday to move forward with MnDOT鈥檚 plans.

Both Erickson and Johnson voiced support for the businesses that would have been affected by the change.

鈥淚 have not talked to one business that wants this 鈥� not one,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淗alf of our tax base comes from the business community鈥� If the business owners haven鈥檛 bought in, you haven鈥檛 done your job yet.鈥�

There was one community member, though, who voiced support for the project, saying she appreciated the fact that the plan would make the corridor more accessible to pedestrians and cyclists.

Meehlhause referred to the proposal as a 鈥渙nce in a 30-year opportunity鈥� to make the business corridor better.
Following Monday鈥檚 meeting, some Bemidji elected officials took to social media to express disappointment over the vote.

On Twitter, Albrecht said, 鈥淪ometimes you are the visionary and 鈥榩lan from the future,鈥� but the luddites hold you back.鈥� Along with a Tweet that stated "People shouldn't be surprised. Negativity breeds bad decisions. Don't talk to me about visioning for the next 10 years. #lostopportunit #bikesandpedsloseout #itsashame."

In responding to another tweet about Monday鈥檚 meeting, Meehlhause called the vote a 鈥渓ack of (expletive) courage.鈥�

In speaking to the Pioneer on Tuesday, Albrecht also discussed what she sees as missed opportunities. For example, Albrecht suggested MnDOT鈥檚 proposed project would have improved alternative transportation and cut down on time as well as gas use since less cars would sit at red lights.

鈥淭hinking into the future, this project is one that will have life long into the future,鈥� Albrecht said. 鈥淲hat I heard in comments last night was 鈥榃e prefer the status quo.鈥� I don't think the community here in Bemidji was ready to take that courageous step forward and try something very forward thinking.鈥�

According to Laesch, MnDOT will work with the city government and community members moving forward on the Highway 197 project. However, Laesch said public engagement won鈥檛 likely happen in the near future with the project now being delayed.