Jmst transportation plan reviewed

Jamestown (CSi) The steering committee for Jamestown’s the Land Use and Transportation Plan (LUTP) have reviewed the plan for a final time, which lists five top priority projects with a total engineer’s estimate of more than $33 million.

RDG Planning and Design and KLJ Engineering were contracted to prepare the LUTP for Jamestown.

RDG Planning and Design’s Marty Shuket, pointed out that the five top priority transportation projects include: A road connecting Jamestown Regional Medical Center to U.S. Highway 281, an additional overpass over the BNSF main line tracks, improvements to downtown streets, replacing the bridge over the James River on 4th Avenue Northwest and upgrades to 3rd Street Southeast.

A second separated grade crossing over the BNSF railroad tracks is the second priority of the LUTP, planned for the intersection of 12th Avenue Southeast and 3rd Street Southeast, with the intersection of the two streets would occur on an overpass above the railroad tracks. The estimated cost is more than $13 million.

The LUTP plan includes removing Exit 257 from I-94 and creating an overpass from 17th Street Southwest to the Menards area. This portion of the plan has an $11 million estimated cost. These portions of the project could be built between 2029 and 2040.

Upgrading First Avenue and the downtown area are meant to slow traffic and make the area a destination, with one traffic lane in each direction with a center turning lane.

Shukert says replacing the 4th Avenue Northwest bridge over the James River will not improve traffic flows but is needed, with bridge replacement costs is estimated at about $400,000 and could occur between 2019 and 2023.

Also s priority is upgrades to 3rd Street Southeast to reduce the number of lanes and add bicycle paths to the street, and improve safety. The cost is estimated at $1.5 million and could be built between 2024 and 2028.

The LUTP is partially funded with state money, is used as a plan for growth in and around Jamestown and includes possible upgrades and additions to roads and zoning recommendations for potential areas of growth.

Jamestown City Council member, Dan Buchanan, Council’s liaison to the Planning Commission, said sales tax growth may be tempered by the incentive agreement that rebates the half percent city sales tax collected at Menards back to the company.

A final draft of the LUTP will be presented to the City Council on April 3, 2015. After a comment period, the plan is finalized. Executing any part of the plan would require action by the City Council.

Scheduled Jamestown projects by the North Dakota Department of Transportation through 2018 include a $10 million upgrade to 17th Street Southwest from U.S. Highway 281 to the Interstate 94 exit, a reconstruction of Exit 260 on I-94 estimated at $2.9 million and safety improvements and resurfacing to the U.S. Highway 52 Bypass.