Background

In late 2019 the Bemidji City Council was presented with the first visioning plan for MnDOT improvements to the corridor between Gillette Drive (near Menards/L&M Fleet) to Bemidji Ave (near CVS Pharmacy). A motion to approve the corridor vision failed after hearing numerous comments from affected business owners.

In 2020, with no plan on the table, and a future pavement replacement project still needed, we began a new approach to finding community supported solutions that would also satisfy much needed safety improvements for all modes of travel.

With the help of the Headwater Regional Development Commission (HRDC), the City of Bemidji and MnDOT formulated a new Community Review Panel (CRP) to revisit the 2018-19 Highway 197 Corridor Study and work to develop a new vision. In addition to monthly CRP meetings over the course of the next year, the project team met with over 50 businesses and hosted both in-person and virtual outreach events.

Out of those meetings came two new alternatives, with the largest differences between the two being roundabouts or signals at the intersections with Middle School Drive and Hannah Avenue. In late 2021 the Bemidji City Council passed a motion of support, aligning with the recommendation from the Community Review Panel, City staff, and MnDOT, for Alternative #1 (Roundabouts). Which allowed for MnDOT to apply for additional grant funding, and begin designing a geometric layout of the preferred alternative.