Commission Approves BUILD Grant Application
Feb. 27, 2025 —There’s a large area of Mandan, known as Mandan Proper, that is in significant need of a street improvement project. Mandan Proper is the area from Second St NW up to Division St NW between Sixth Ave NW and Collins Ave. The need for this project was identified in the 2024 pavement condition report. Of the approximate 6 miles of road, 93% of the roads in the project area are in need of a full reconstruction.
There is approximately 15,000 feet of watermain, mostly cast iron, that would also be replaced as part of this project. With 36 water breaks since 2015 in this area, 80% of those breaks occurred in the last five years.
Other key project elements include strategic Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant routes; improvements to transit access; and complete streets. Reconstruction of the streets will also reestablish curb and gutter sections increasing conveyance and decreasing ponding.
The BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development) grant, formerly known as the RAISE grant, is a program though the United States Department of Transportation that allows the federal government to support and maintain transportation infrastructure that they otherwise could not. The program is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, providing $1.5 billion annually for the years 2022-2026. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis. The maximum grant award City staff discovered in their research is $25 million and that is the amount they are seeking in the application.
The Engineering Department actively researches grant opportunities that could lessen the financial burden residents face with street improvement projects.
Engineering staff Identified Mandan Proper because of its proximity to Mandan’s highest concentration of disadvantaged community indicators; measured gap in bicycle and pedestrian trip densities; and proximity to Mandan’s job center.
Total project cost for all phases of the Mandan Proper project is estimated at just over $34 million. The local share if the City receives the award would be $9.3 million and would use a combination of municipal infrastructure funds (prairie dog funds) and the utility fund.
There are about 540 parcels in the Mandan Proper project area that could see a significant special assessment for a project of this nature, however, if the City is successful with this grant application, the special assessment estimate could considerably decrease.
For several reasons, the project is intended to be split into four phases over several years. This project is in its very early stages, and a lot will depend on if the City is successful with this grant application or not.
City staff is aware of a freeze on federal funding, but was advised to submit the grant application anyway. Stay tuned to cityofmandan.com for updates.