Infrastructure & Project Tracker

A CIP, or Capital Improvement Plan, is a multi-year strategic plan used by the City to identify, prioritize, and budget for major infrastructure projects. These projects typically include upgrades, expansions, preservation, or replacements of public infrastructure such as roads, water mains, sanitary sewers, storm sewers, and other essential infrastructure.

The City’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) includes a variety of projects overseen by the Engineering Department, focusing on maintaining, improving, and expanding public infrastructure to meet community needs. Examples of projects typically managed by the Engineering Department include:

• Roadway Improvements
  • Maintenance, preservation, rehabilitation, and reconstruction of roadways.
  • Intersection improvements, such as adding turn lanes or installing traffic signals.
  • New road construction to support growth and development.
• Utility Infrastructure
  • Replacement or rehabilitation of aging water mains, sanitary sewers, and stormwater systems.
  • Expansion of utility networks to serve new developments.
• Pedestrian and Bicycle Facilities
  • Sidewalk installation and repair.
  • Construction of shared-use paths, bike lanes, and pedestrian crossings.
• Bridges and Structures
  • Rehabilitation or replacement of bridges.
• Flood Protection and Drainage
  • Levee construction or improvement.
  • Installation of stormwater detention basins and drainage channels.

The selection of projects for the City’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) involves collaboration among multiple departments, including Engineering, Planning, Public Works, Water Treatment, and Water Reclamation. This teamwork ensures a comprehensive approach to prioritizing infrastructure needs across the community.

Projects are identified and prioritized based on a range of factors, including:

• Guidance from Planning Documents: The City considers long-term plans like Go 2030, the Fargo Growth Plan, the Core Neighborhoods Plan, the Fargo Transportation Plan, and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. These documents provide strategic direction to staff, ensuring that project designs and selections align with the City’s priorities for growth, infrastructure needs, and improvements.
• Infrastructure Condition: Assessments of pavement condition, underground utility conditions, and overall infrastructure health are critical in identifying areas most in need of improvement.
• Public Safety: Projects that address traffic safety concerns or mitigate hazards are given higher priority.
• Risk of Failure: The severity and risk of infrastructure failure are evaluated to prevent costly emergency repairs and minimize disruptions to businesses and residents.

The process also incorporates input from residents and elected officials to ensure community needs and concerns are addressed. This collaborative and data-driven approach enables the City to make impactful investments while maintaining a safe, reliable, and well-maintained infrastructure network.

Projects are funded in accordance with the City’s Infrastructure Funding Policy, which is approved by the City Commission. Each project is funded differently, but most rely on one or more of the following funding sources:

• Federal Funds: Various types of Federal Funds are available, each with specific purposes and requirements. These funds support infrastructure projects that meet federal guidelines and priorities.
• Prairie Dog Funds: Prairie Dog Funds were created during the 2019 Legislative Session as part of HB 1066. This legislation made numerous changes to the oil and gas gross production tax distribution formula and created a new source of infrastructure funding for cities, counties, and townships in non-oil-producing counties. The Prairie Dog Fund is funded by the state's oil production tax and can only be used for infrastructure projects.
• Infrastructure Sales Tax: Voter-approved and used specifically for public infrastructure projects, this funding source helps reduce utility rates and special assessments, keeping costs lower for residents and businesses.
• Utility Funds: Different utility funds are designated for the maintenance, preservation, and improvement of specific infrastructure:
  • Street Light/Traffic Control Utility
  • Storm Sewer Utility
  • Water Reclamation Utility
  • Water Utility
• Special Assessments: Special assessments differ from property taxes. They are used to fund infrastructure improvements by having the properties that benefit from the improvement help cover part or all of the cost.