East Grand Forks is ready to pay its share of a grant application targeting a potential new Red River bridge. The federal grant would assist in further planning of an inner-city location or a crossing at Merrifield Road.
S-R-F Consultants is in the final stages of a scoping study regarding the two bridges and would assist in filing the grant application at a cost of $28,404 dollars. The goal is to split that bill between East Grand Forks…Grand Forks…Grand Forks County…and Polk County.
East Grand Forks Mayor Steve Gander says it’s the next logical step. “We are not guiding the process from this side of the river…it’s all data driven.”
Council member Clarence Vetter says calls the application money well spent. “To leveragem$7,100 dollars to possibly get a grant of $10 million or more…it sound like a no brainer.”
S-R-F Project manager Ken Holte says one new wrinkle learned during the analysis to date is that Minnesota frowns on bridges in the 100 year floodway. He says that could lengthen any bridge by 10 to 30 percent. “It doesn’t mean these projects are eliminated. I gave this same presentation to the City of Grand Forks and maybe didn’t make a coupe of those points as clear as I should have.’
Grand Forks County has already agreed to fund the study. Polk County has indicated they could approve the request next week. On Monday the Grand Forks council recommended against funding the grant application on a tie 2-2 vote. The council will take another look at the issue on Monday.
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