10-20-2003 Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

Casselton Elevator Road Background Information 10/15/O3 Keith Berndt Background I attended a meeting on October 2 and the Commission received a letter dated October 3 regarding construction of a shuttle train grain loading facility at Casselton. There is a group working to put together a project to expand the elevator on the south side of Casselton to accommodate shuttle trains. The project as proposed will require construction of a new access road about 3000 feet long. The group has approached the State about potential funding assistance with the road construction. The Department of Transportation's position is that the new access road would have t¢ be on the Cass County Highway system to be eligible for any State or Federal funding. The Department of Transportation has not indicated to me if they would make any special funding available for the new road if it were on the Cass County Highway system. The proposed new road would run between old highway 10 near the underpass south of Casselton north to the elevator. I have not done any detailed investigation or estimate work on the road. For discussion purposes, I expect the cost of the road to be in the $500,000 ball park. Road Advisory Committee/Commission Decisions to be made: 1. Whether or not to support placing the proposed road on the County System 2. Level of County Funding support for the project construction if any 3. Level of County Support for routine maintenance and future reconstruction Other Considerations: If the road is going to be constructed in 2004 and added to the County Highway System, the environmental field work and surveying should be completed prior to snowfall this fall. Also, real estimate appraisal work would have to start in the very near future for the project to have any possibility of being completed in 2004.