Fargo's 32nd Avenue South to see several reconstruction projects beginning this April and into 2025

(Fargo, ND) -- A highly traveled road in Fargo will be seeing reconstruction beginning in April of this year, but also through 2025.

A section of 32nd Avenue South between 22nd Street and South University Drive will be seeing temporary closures between 2024 and 2025 for road reconstruction. The purpose of the project is to replace pavement that is nearing the end of it's estimated life-expectancy, expand sidewalks, upgrade a drainage pipe, and to make adjustments to the South University intersection. This is separate from another reconstruction project along 32nd Ave South between I-29 and 25th Street South that is expected to start in mid to late April. 

"The way the project will be built is in phases, "said Brent Musche, an Engineer who presented the project at a public presentation, "Each phase will be one-to-two blocks at a time where 32nd ave will be closed, traffic would be detoured... During that time, you would still have access locally to businesses and residences in that area."

The 2024 reconstruction is expected to happen in four phases, with the earliest construction beginning along South University Drive and ending near 22nd Street. This is to allow for an upgraded drainage pipe to be installed, while also allowing for access to businesses during the different construction phases. There will be temporary service interruptions during this time, but the public will be notified when they occur.

Musche and several other engineers on site say sidewalks will expand slightly to make more room for pedestrians, reducing the overall size of the road by an estimated ten-to-twelve feet. The impact on drivers will not be significant according to one engineer, who said the twelve foot wide lanes would be reduced to eleven feet. For context, the lanes for 13th Ave SW in front of West Acres Mall are approximately ten-and-a-half feet wide. An additional change that would improve sidewalk space includes a lane reduction near the South University Intersection. The current plan shows the westbound lane for 32nd Avenue South being reduced to a single lane for approximately one city block. 

"We are removing one of those lanes, just in that block, "said Musche, "We are able to narrow up the roadway basically another twelve feet and use that for additional boulevard space for sidewalks [and] trees, makes the pedestrian crossing distance shorter and its less pavement to maintain and plow."