MINOT — The Minot City Council heard a presentation about the possible reconstruction of Anne Street Bridge on Monday.
Lance Meyer, city engineer, said if the project is approved, the bridge would probably be completely redone and is projected to cost $5.4 million.
“We could probably try to find a way to save a portion of it or to raise the bridge, but I think the better money, if the county and the city want to fund this, is to probably build a new structure that’s going to last 100 years,” Meyer explained.
Meyer also stated that the current structure is over 100 years old.
Harold Stewart, city manager, said he has directed city staff to consider a special assessment district, which would be downtown and the neighborhood north of the bridge, to pay for half of the bridge; approximately $2.7 million.
Stewart explained, “[This] means, right now, the way this is built in the CIP, and this is all a draft, the council has the ability to change this if you don’t agree with it, or if the community doesn’t agree with it, but I think the downtown and the neighborhood to the north of the river benefit the most from this and I think there should be some financial commitment on their part, if we’re building this on behalf of the community.”
Stewart continued, “I want that out there in full transparency, so that the public can respond, the council can think through that and talk through that.”
Though willing to do whatever the council decided, Stewart posed the question of whether the reconstruction was even the highest priority investment the city can make, especially considering the possible repurposing of property and other buildings such as the Trinity hospital move and the downtown parking garages.
“If we have $5.4 million, is this the highest priority?” Stewart said. “Does this do the most good and have the biggest economic impact on our community?”
“We don’t have to vote on anything now. Let’s cross each bridge when it comes,” Alderwoman Evans suggested.
