歪歪漫画

In August 2019, the Bemidji City Council rejected the Minnesota Department of Transportation's plan to update State Highway 197, commonly known as Paul Bunyan Drive NW, or Trunk Highway 197.

As mayor at the time, I was disappointed because infrastructure is the backbone of economic growth and upgrading the city鈥檚 northwest transportation corridor was essential to planning for future growth.

We sent MnDOT back to the drawing board and asked our partner to engage in broader discussions with the affected property owners along the route to develop a plan that would work for all.

Five years later, following the creation of a community review panel, dozens of meetings with stakeholders, a public survey, and a new design plan, MnDOT staff presented the updated plan to the council on Sept. 16.

They came to the public hearing armed with plenty of good news. They not only presented a phased approach and new designs, but importantly, they had the consensus and support of the businesses and property owners along the route.

From the presentation: 鈥淔inal layout and vision for the 197 corridor has been adapted over several years by compromise from all parties, but still delivers an efficient and modernized corridor that will set up Bemidji for the next 30-50 years.鈥�

Arch Simonson, the owner of Simonson鈥檚 gas station sent an email of support to the council saying, 鈥溾��this email is to voice my support for the TH-197 Reconstruction Project. In particular, the East Segment per the drawing above (the Hannah Ave-TH 197 intersection at Simonson鈥檚) ... Thank you to all the people that spend ... many, many hours and (have) gone to many, many meetings to bring this project to fruition.鈥�

But maybe the best news for the community is that MnDOT came to the council with a pocketful of money to complete the work. MnDOT and the city of Bemidji were awarded a RAISE Grant totaling $18 million based on the established corridor vision.

Additionally, the city engineer was successful in securing a $5 million state grant for the Middle 歪歪漫画 Drive and Hannah Avenue upgrades. These awards will mean that no property owner along the city streets or Paul Bunyan Drive NW will pay an assessment for the upgrades.

Wow! Speaking as a city resident who was recently assessed for my street upgrade, that is GREAT news for businesses in the commercial district.

Many city residents use my street as a 鈥渂ack road鈥� to avoid Paul Bunyan Drive and to access the shopping and commercial district on the west side of Bemidji.

You too have probably used Norton Avenue to avoid 197. A lot of people turn off 15th Street NW onto Norton Ave. at the water tower and follow it around until it turns into 23rd Street and continues to Hannah Ave. and Middle 歪歪漫画 Drive. The Norton Ave. project was completed last fall and users will agree that it is a beautiful green, tree-lined street and a convenient way to avoid the traffic and lights on Paul Bunyan Drive. New streetlights and a paved trail make it safer for pedestrians, too.

But your convenience didn鈥檛 come cheap for us property owners on Norton. We all paid $45 per front foot for the project, which for me was a special assessment of $7,470. Some neighbors paid over $12,000 and the business on the street, Birchhaven, paid over $17,000.

So, when we can get a multi-million-dollar street project built for the future and completed with no special assessments, I say, sign me up.

We need to build roads that work for this century 鈥� not the last one. Modernizing and maintaining infrastructure to support economic growth and community well-being should be a priority for the city.

Our partner, MnDOT needs 鈥渕unicipal consent鈥� to move forward with the next stage of the project. Sadly, and somewhat surprisingly, after MnDOT鈥檚 presentation, a public hearing with many positive comments and support, and a whopping $23 million to complete the project, the council wasn鈥檛 ready to approve the project.

With project construction already delayed until 2026, who knows how many years a delay in approving municipal consent would add? How much state and federal grant money will be lost if municipal consent is not supported? And importantly for those using Paul Bunyan Drive NW, how much time and inconvenience will be added to our trips through Bemidji?

The council will take up the issue again on Oct. 7. Remember, this project is fully funded. No property tax dollars or special assessments are needed. Let鈥檚 hope the city council does right by us and supports municipal consent.