City rejects NDDOT's Hwy. 281 proposal

More than a dozen residents and business owners, most of them who have property along Hwy. 281, attended the public meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 20 to discuss the NDDOT’s proposal to remove frontage roads along the highway going through the City of New Rockford.

The proposal, which was presented to commissioners at their meeting on Feb. 5, called for the removal of the frontage roads and the construction of seven private accesses for properties that currently only have access to the highway via the frontage roads. The plan would be less costly than rebuilding the frontage roads, would provide a means to flatten the slope of the ditch, and would result in a natural reduction in speed along the highway, according to engineer Wyatt Hanson of Apex Engineering.

The short meeting started with President Calvin Packard asking those in attendance to vote whether they were in favor or against the proposal as presented. Attendees were unanimously against the proposal.

Then the city commissioners heard from a few residents who had questions or wanted to comment on the proposal.

The New Rockford City Commission then unanimously passed a motion to reject the proposal. City Attorney Travis Peterson will draft a letter explaining the city’s position and note comments from property owners.