Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What exactly is this project? A. The City of Minot Downtown Infrastructure Improvements Project is a City of Minot effort to improve the basic underground and aboveground infrastructure in the heart of Minot. This will include replacing miles of water, sanitary sewer and storm sewer pipes, concrete paved street, curb and gutters, sidewalks, and street lighting within roughly 26 city blocks in Downtown Minot.

Q. Who is paying for these improvements? A. Funding for this project comes from a variety of sources. The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) agreed in May 2013 to award $18 million in disaster recovery grant funding that will be matched by approximately $4.9 million in funds from a street light assessment district and storm sewer assessment district, $5 million in CDBG-DR funding and $1.7 million from North Dakota.

Q. Why are these improvements needed? A. Much of the water, sewer, sanitary sewer and other below ground infrastructure in Downtown Minot is between 75 and 100 years-old. Many of these pipes are too small for anticipated growth and upgrades to downtown, and have simply lived beyond their original design life. These upgrades are sorely needed to keep the heart of the Magic City thriving.

Q. Where exactly in Downtown Minot are you going to be working? What areas will be worked on in 2017? A. The project is being designed to work on city blocks bordered by South Broadway, the BNSF railroad tracks/1st Avenue N, 3rd Street SE and Burdick Expressway. There will be some storm sewer and water main work done outside of this general project boundary. In 2017, the project will be happen along the following route: on First Street SW between Central Avenue and Fifth Avenue SW; on Third Avenue SW/SE between Broadway and Third Street SE; on Second Street NE from Central Avenue to First Avenue NE; and on Second Street SE between Burdick and Third Avenue SE. There will also be work that was leftover from the 2016 contract that will happen in the spring on one block of Main Street just north of Central Avenue and on First Avenue SW from within the intersection of First Street SE and First Avenue SE to Broadway.

Q. So is this part of the Imagine Minot project that I keep hearing about? A. The Downtown Infrastructure Improvements Project is NOT a part of the Imagine Minot project. The two will be working in roughly the same space, downtown, but there are two separate funding sources with separate goals and separate reporting structures. If you would like more information about the on-going Imagine Minot projects, please contact the Cypress Development team at 406-219-8710. As well, this project is NOT part of the Artspace building or the partnership that is underway to build parking structures and apartment units near former surface parking lots by Wells Fargo Bank and US Bank.

Q. How is the Downtown Business and Professional Association (DBPA) being involved? A. Throughout the design process, the DBPA has been made aware of key milestone meetings and decisions. A Downtown Steering Committee helped to work on a related project with brainstorming and suggesting potential streetscape designs, as well as providing direction for the look of street lights, sidewalks and other streetscape items. And throughout the construction the DBPA has received direct updates on the status of the project at membership and board of director meetings.

Q. When did construction start and when is it going to end? A. Construction on Phase I of the downtown infrastructure project started in May 2015. Phase 2 happened in 2016 and Phase 3 will take place in 2017. A firm start date for 2017 work has not yet been determined. It is anticipated that work could start as early as the middle of April. If all goes as planned, construction for this year would be substantially complete by the middle of fall or beginning of winter 2017.

Q. Where can I go for more information? A. Continuous information will be provided through this website as interested parties can sign up for the e-news alerts and notifications. There will also be regular communication through the local news media and weekly public information meetings during construction. You can also contact the public information team for the project at Odney, 701-857-7205 and ask for Mark Lyman or Brekka Kramer.