Starting the week of September 12, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) -- in collaboration with the City of Moorhead and the Metropolitan Council of Governments (Metro COG) -- will install a 3-lane demonstration project on Main Avenue. Users will encounter barrels, signs and additional striping in both directions between 4 St and 8 St until mid-October, weather permitting.
The purpose of the demonstration is to study:
- A three-lane configuration
- Bump outs, or curb extensions, that serve to increase pedestrian visibility
- On-street parking stalls
- Signal modifications that match demonstration layout
In 2020, Metro COG led a study with MnDOT, the City of Moorhead, MATBUS, Minnesota State University-Moorhead and Concordia College to provide alternatives and possible solutions to address the needs of all stakeholders along the Main Ave/Hwy 10/Hwy 75 corridor.
Both the corridor study and the City’s Downtown Plan recognized the need to promote walking and biking in the downtown. One of the possibilities suggested was reducing Main Avenue to three lanes with on-street parking.
The demonstration project will help MnDOT evaluate if these changes could become a permanent solution as it begins preparing plans to reconstruct this portion of Main Avenue/Highway 10/75.
The public can learn more about the project now and -- after September 26 -- complete a survey to share comments about the demonstration project at dot.state.mn.us/d4.
MnDOT project background and map of demonstration project area
