Section of 52nd Avenue South Opens to Traffic Saturday

By late afternoon Saturday, contractors for the City of Fargo 52nd Avenue South improvement project will open two sections of the new roadway to one lane in each direction ahead of school starting. Crews will then close 52nd Avenue South, between west of Veterans Boulevard intersection to east of 63rd Street South, to allow crews to continue work on underground and paving preparations. All residential and business access will be maintained.

Once the traffic shift is complete, 52nd Avenue drivers will encounter the following access:

• OPEN: One lane in each direction in the westbound lanes between 45th Street South and Veterans Boulevard
• OPEN: One lane in each direction in the eastbound lanes west of 63rd Street South intersection
• CLOSED: Full roadway between west of Veterans Blvd and east of 63rd Street South for roadway removals and underground work.
• CLOSED: Intersections of 47th Avenue South, 53rd Street South, and 53rd Avenue South will be closed to traffic

Motorists are encouraged to add extra time to their travel plans through the area during peak hours. Speeds are reduced near the school on Veterans Boulevard. The all way stop added by city at 44th Avenue South and 53rd Street South intersection will re removed and traffic will resume its normal driving pattern at this intersection. 

Traffic control will shift for residential and business access to the west of Veterans Boulevard. Drivers will no longer use the temporary bypass road at Veterans Boulevard to access the mainline of 52nd Avenue South and travel west. Access will now remain off Sheyenne Street and the mainline of 52nd Avenue South.

Motorists will encounter the following access to businesses:

North 52nd Avenue South business access:

• Veterans Boulevard to 51st Street South to 53rd Street South (the roundabout intersection just north of 52nd Avenue South)

South 52nd Avenue South business access:

• East loop: Through Veterans Boulevard intersection to 53rd Avenue South business loop
• West loop: Mainline of 52nd Avenue South to 63rd Street South intersection to 53rd Avenue South business loop

The mile and a half stretch of 52nd Avenue South between 45th Street South and 63rd Street South improvement project is spread over six-phases through October and is completely reconstructing the rural two-lane roadway to an urban four-lane divided roadway with dedicated turn lanes.

Phase work will overlap or begin after specific phases are complete. Eastbound and westbound 52nd Avenue South will be reconstructed in multiple phases between:

o   East side of Veterans Boulevard to west of 45th Street South

o   East of 63rd Street South to west of Veterans  Boulevard

o   West of the 63rd Street South intersection to east of McMahon Estates Circle