Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan Receives ACEC North Dakota Accolade
The Grand Forks-East Grand Forks Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan received a 2024 American Council of Engineering Companies of North Dakota Engineering Excellence Award in the Studies, Research, and Consulting Engineering Services category. The Engineering Excellence Awards recognize engineering firms for projects that demonstrate an exceptional degree of innovation, complexity, achievement, and value. Submitted projects are scored on uniqueness and/or innovative application of new or existing techniques; future value to the engineering profession and perception by the public; social, economic, and sustainable development considerations; complexity; and successful fulfillment of client/owner’s needs, including schedule and budget. The project team was recognized at the organization’s spring conference on Tuesday, May 7.
Bolton & Menk led a pedestrian and bicycle master plan process for the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and the Cities of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks (MSA population approximately 103,000). The plan will serve as an element of the MPO’s Long Range Transportation Plan.
The plan included a robust public and stakeholder engagement process including in-person and interactive web-based events and tools. Engagement was supplemented with a thorough technical analysis of the metropolitan area’s supply and demand for active transportation infrastructure and safety needs to develop recommendations for network and crossing improvements and safe routes to school infrastructure. The plan provides a list of priority projects, programs, policy tools, design guidance, and an implementation schedule for building the MPO’s multimodal network in a way that is safe, enjoyable, and sustainable. The project included coordination with FHWA and state DOT representatives as well as local advocates and agency representatives.
Comprehensive safety analysis of bicycle and pedestrian crashes were completed to understand multimodal safety issues. Safety needs were further analyzed through a bike safety audit with community members. Safety emerged as a major priority area in identifying multimodal projects for implementation as part of this plan.
