Mandan, ND – Midtown East Street Improvements

Challenge

The Midtown East Neighborhood was an older neighborhood with approximately 30 blocks in need of major infrastructure and street improvements. The City hired Moore Engineering to study the neighborhood and develop a plan to address deteriorated curb and gutter, ADA ramps, lighting, sidewalks, water mains, sanitary sewer mains, storm sewer, streets and alleys. The first phase of the project was to assess the conditions, develop a scope of work, provide recommendations, engage the public in open public meetings and provide estimated special assessment costs for each property.

Overall, approximately $9 million worth of improvements were needed, with more than half of this amount needing to be special assessed to properties throughout the community. On top of being one of the community’s older neighborhoods, the site conditions posed significant challenges when it came to bringing the area into ADA compliance. The neighborhood had significant terrain with existing roadways in excess of 10% running slopes, stairways, handrails and large retaining walls within the right-of-way. Because of low staffing, the City also needed bidding and construction engineering support for three separate infrastructure projects that they had recently designed.

Solution

Moore Engineering led the project through the planning and preliminary design to get the project through the controversial public input process. The project included 10 blocks of water main, 10 blocks of storm sewer, 4 blocks of sanitary sewer, 20 blocks of alleys and 30 blocks of streets, lighting and concrete improvements. A large effort was spent justifying the reason for assessing neighborhoods for storm sewer improvements when they contribute storm water causing the need to upsize storm pipes.

Mandan had firsthand experience with bidding small projects and knew the inefficiencies of awarding multiple small contracts. Having a comfort level with Moore Engineering’s staff, the City decided to have Moore combine three additional public projects along with the Midtown East project. Altogether, the City awarded one construction contract for over $9 million worth of improvements. Moore Engineering’s scope included all of the preliminary, design and construction engineering services for the projects.

Outcome

Moore Engineering helped guide the project from project concept through final design and construction. Moore successfully navigated the project through the public input and protest process in order to achieve the long-term improvements that the City desired for the neighborhood. The project has achieved substantial completion, is under budget and is on track to be closed out in the fall of 2021.