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Westwood neighborhood overdue for $8 million infrastructure overhaul – InForum

Westwood neighborhood overdue for  million infrastructure overhaul – InForum

WEST FARGO — The Westwood neighborhood needs to move into the 21st century, and it won’t get any cheaper to get it there.

West Fargo city engineers and officials met with residents of the Westwood neighborhood Tuesday evening about the proposed $8 million project.

The Westwood neighborhood was built in 1959 and the streets, sewers, sidewalks, and water lines have not been renovated or reconstructed.

“What we’re talking about here is basically recreating an entirely new neighborhood,” said Dan Hanson, a West Fargo city engineer.

The neighborhood is in need of repair for a long time, with roads in poor condition and streetlights still attached to wooden poles.
The city proposes to install a new water main and storm sewer infrastructure and rebuild roads, sidewalks, curbs and gutters throughout the 72-home neighborhood. Teams will have to work in confined spaces.

“It’s not an attractive project,” Hanson said.

It’s been on the city’s bucket list for years. Faced with rising construction costs, city commissioners decided they could wait no longer.

About 40 people from the neighborhood attended an informational meeting Tuesday to ask questions and provide feedback to city engineers. Many have raised concerns about access to their homes and parking spaces during the work. Staff recognized that the project would be significantly life-altering.

Many also expressed concerns about the cost of the project.

The city will foot 70% of the $8 million project bill; the remaining 30% was paid through special contributions.

A state grant might provide some relief, but even if it were granted, the average annual dues payment would be just under $2,000 a year.

“It’s a good neighborhood, yes, but I guess our time has come to pay for something that should have been paid for years ago,” said Westwood neighborhood resident Paul Cripe.

Cripe has lived in the neighborhood for more than 20 years. Like many of his neighbors, he says the improvements are long overdue, but he is skeptical about the price tag.

He points out that the neighborhood is home to many retirees, many of whom live on a fixed income. The special assessments could leave them in a precarious financial situation.

“It’s going to exclude some of us from the neighborhood. They’re going to force us out of the neighborhood,” Cripe said.

City staff told the crowd they would hold more informational meetings in the future to get more feedback.

The city is inviting bids for the $8 million project for March. The overall estimated cost of the project may change depending on these bids. The city commission would have to approve the bids.

If that happens, the project could start as early as May.

Mike McGurran has been a reporter and anchor at WDAY-TV since 2021.