IN CONSTRUCTION
Ongoing Development in the MI-5 Northeast Tieback Levee
-- UPDATE --
February 2024
The Phase MI-5 NE Tieback Levee phase of the project begins near 3rd Street NE at the eastern end of Phase MI-1. It runs east along the north property line of BNSF Railway’s existing yard before tying into high ground east of 13th Street NE.
The project features of this system include concrete floodwalls, earthen levees, arterial roadway changes, a stormwater pump station, and a dry stormwater pond. The concrete floodwalls will be a similar height to the Phase MI-1 floodwalls, extending approximately thirteen feet above the finished grade. Areas south of BNSF Railway's existing yard are slated for seeding after removing roadways and transforming them into a natural green space.
Construction on Phase MI-5 Northeast Tieback Levee started in the summer of 2022 with Wagner Construction as the General Contractor. Work completed during the fall of 2023 through January of 2024 includes finishing municipal utility relocations along Railway Avenue, excavating nearly all floodwall footings, building elements for the stormwater pump station, and completion of nearly 70% of the concrete floodwall stem. The wet, heavy snow received in Minot in early October slowed down progress on site for a few weeks. Still, the eventual melt and favorable winter temperatures have allowed the Contractor to progress significantly on the project. Construction of utilities, roadways, and floodwalls is anticipated to be completed by the end of fall 2024, and the project's final completion will occur by summer 2025.
Railway Avenue will remain closed to traffic from 4th Street NE to 27th Street NE through the winter months while traffic continues to be detoured south to Burdick Expressway. Permanent paving will occur in the summer/fall of 2024, and upon completion, Railway Avenue will be open to traffic.
When completed, the MI-5 phase will integrate with the first four phases of the Minot Region Enhanced Flood Protection Project (MREFPP). This integration aims to exempt approximately 60% of Minot residents from the proposed FEMA floodplain, offering long-term protection against events like the 2011 flood. All ongoing and upcoming flood protection projects are designed to match the 2011 flood levels, with an additional three feet of freeboard for increased safety
Phase MI-5 NE Tieback Levee
urban flood control
In April 2018, the Minot City Council approved a preliminary alignment for Phase MI-5 which minimized the impact to private property however would cross BNSF rail lines with temporary closures during a flood event. After coordinating with BNSF, the preliminary alignment was modified to address BNSF requirements. In areas where the closure structures were proposed, BNSF would instead require the rail line be raised, which included reconstructing existing rail bridges, raising the Third Street bridge and raising approximately 18,000 feet of track, as well as reconstructing new rail bridges over the Mouse river for the BNSF mainlines. These requirements escalated the estimated project costs to roughly $129 million. These changes resulted in a project that was not economically feasible.
In mid- to late-2019, the Souris River Joint Board directed the design team to redesign the project and bring back a new concept that would reduce the impact to the railroad and reduce the cost of the alignment. A current technically proposed alignment now proposes putting more flood protection features north of the BNSF rail line, on top of a portion of the existing Railway Avenue footprint. This alignment, as it is proposed now, may require the acquisition of approximately 15 homes and 7 businesses. The total project cost estimate of this alignment is $75 million.
A Public Input Meeting was held on February 10, 2020 to talk about the redesigned Phase MI-5 Northeast Tieback Levee. The formal presentation is available below the map. If you have any questions about the meeting or the current design of the project, please contact Odney at 701-648-9780 and ask for Beth Feldner.
Phase MI-5 is currently at the 90% design level.
