EGF still moving towards neighborhood bridge project

East Grand Forks is readying an RFP to hire a consultant to help move a proposed intercity bridge at 32nd Avenue South forward.

East Grand Forks Administrator David Murphy told council members last night (Tuesday) the goal is to get the project as shovel ready as possible to take advantage of outside funding – including federal dollars. Murphy says the consultant will guide the process in conjunction with the Minnesota D-O-T.  “They have quite a bit of guidelines for rehabbing a bridge…replacing a bridge…and refurbishing a bridge…but not a new bridge at a new location and site.”

Murphy says the draft has also been submitted to the City of Grand Forks for review and possible cost sharing.

In a related note Mayor Steve Gander says the city is looking to purchase 64 acres of land through auction that would be needed for the 32nd Street bridge corridor at a price of over $707,000 dollars. Gander admits it sounds like a lot of money.  “To put that in comparison adjusted for inflation we gained access to property for our levee system at a cost of $112 thousand per acre – or ten times the price of this land.  That’s what we could have encountered if we had waited until it’s in private hands and we need that corridor for the bridge.”

A closing date on the sale is pending.

Grand Forks Administrator Todd Feland informed the city council this week that the issue of a neighborhood bridge will likely appear on their agenda in the near future.