After a couple of pulled motions and a lengthy discussion the Grand Forks council opted to delay action on a bridge scoping study until a joint meeting with their counterparts in East Grand Forks.
After voting 4-3 last week against a 50-50 cost share with East Grand Forks on hiring the consulting firm SRF to perform the analysis the issue of a four-way split adding Polk and Grand Forks County was on the table. The estimated cost of the study for an inter-city bridge and Merrifield Road is $151,000 dollars.
Grand Forks City Administrator Todd Feland says too much emphasis is focused on the location of an inter-city bridge. “I think if we remove the location a little and just try to figure out how two cities can move forward with an inter-city bridge.”
East Grand Forks Mayor Steve Gander who attended last night’s meeting (Monday) said the benefit of the bridge has to be a win for both communities. “If it doesn’t pass the test of fitting in with your neighborhoods…it doesn’t happen.”
Council member Bret Weber says the do nothing approach will only increase congestion on Gateway…DeMers…and the Minnesota Bridge down the road.
A date for the joint meeting has not yet been set.
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