Update on Phoenix Elementary school safety study presented to Grand Forks council members

Jun. 12—GRAND FORKS — An update on the Phoenix Elementary school safety study, which kicked off around February, was presented to City Council members during their Committee of the Whole meeting Monday.

The

school safety study

was recommended by council member Tricia Lunski. In March, the council approved a task order with Bolton & Menk for engineering services in the amount of $76,936 to conduct the study.

Blue Weber, a community outreach specialist with Bolton & Menk, gave council members an overview of the study following a public input meeting last month.

The safety study is looking at the roads surrounding Phoenix Elementary and is identifying concerns related to pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle movement in the area. The goal of the study is to identify improvements to traffic, pedestrian and bicycle crossings, intersections and pickup/drop-offs at the school.

Data collection — including information on the intersections around Phoenix Elementary, plus information from previous studies on the area, pedestrian flow and drone footage — has made up a big part of the study so far. A safety analysis portion of the study will evaluate the number and types of crashes from five-year crash data. The traffic operation portion of the study will then review the six intersections around the school. All of that information will make up a study memorandum, which will be presented to the council and public.

Weber said the public input meeting at Phoenix Elementary last month was an opportunity for residents to learn more about the study and provide input.

"One of the things that was really amazing was not just the amount of people that were showing up, which was 15. (It was) not the hugest amount, but it was people who were in that neighborhood," Weber said. "So we had people who were directly adjacent to Phoenix Elementary. It was really nice to hear from them."

Some of the ideas shared at the public input meeting include using Chestnut Street for better drop-off and pickup, converting the west side of Phoenix Elementary to a primary drop-off/pickup location and staggering drop-off/pickup times.

Past drone footage, which utilized a 3D camera, showing morning drop-up and afternoon pickup traffic levels can be viewed on YouTube to give people more perspective on the traffic flows in the area.

"It's pretty nice to be able to watch the traffic flow and be able to look up and down Belmont (Road)," Weber said. "(To) be able to look over at Chestnut (Street), look over to Reeves (Drive) so you can see where families are coming from, where bikes are coming in. Also the traffic pattern as it's coming from eastbound as well as going northbound."

Next steps in the study include working on the study memorandum along with determining concepts that were identified from the public input meeting. The study memorandum is anticipated to be presented to council members this fall.

Also Monday, council members gave preliminary approval to extend a letter of intent agreement with Northern Plains Nitrogen LLP, a company that has been in talks with Grand Forks developers for the better part of the last decade. The extension would be for another six months, from July 1 to Dec. 31, 2023. Council members approved extending the letter of intent agreement in December, with that agreement to expire at the end of this month.

NPN Chief Operating Officer Larry Mackie told council members that there are three potential investors with whom NPN is working.

"I expect that we're going to receive funding from one of these," Mackie said. "There's no doubt in my mind, because this project is so good."

Mackie also expressed his desire to build the fertilizer plant in Grand Forks because of the market and location.

"If I'm thinking about anywhere in the world to build a new fertilizer project, there's no better spot than this one in Grand Forks for many reasons," he said. "One, it's the best market in the United States. The United States is one of the best markets in the world. And the location is absolutely perfect."

In other news Monday, council members:

* Received an update on the English Coulee renewal project. Phase 1 was completed in 2021 and Phase 2 started last year. The coulee has recurring water quality, odor and aesthetic issues, which have been addressed by Water Works Department staff by working with Advance Engineering and Environmental Services. During Monday's meeting, council members received an update on where staff is at with Phase 2, such as developing a plan for removing sediment in the coulee, along with the creating the next steps identified for Phase 3.

* Considered approving a budget amendment for constructing a new watermain along 27th Avenue North from North 39th Street to Highway 81. The project will provide water service and fire protection to the properties in a newly annexed area. In April, council members approved contracting Taggart Contracting, the lowest bidder, in the amount of $1,864,612. A 60% cost share with the North Dakota State Water Commission has been approved for this project, and the remaining 40% will be covered by water utility revenue through Fund 5300 — Water.

* Considered approving an engineer's report, creating a special assessment district, and directing the Engineering Department to prepare plans and specifications for phase one of a sanitary sewer project for the Highway 81 and associated area.

* Received an update on the Wastewater Treatment Facility Phase 1 and 2 improvements. The initial design of Phase 1 Improvements was completed in July 2022, and the 60% design completion milestone for the Phase 2 improvements was reached this month.