November 22, 2024
FM Area Diversion November Construction Update
FARGO, ND (November 22, 2024) – Parts for the last of eight huge radial-arm gates for the FM Area Diversion’s three control structures have begun arriving in Fargo. Once all the portions are assembled, the combined weight of the gates, 690.5 tons, would weigh more than 11 of the “World’s Largest Buffalo” statues in Jamestown, North Dakota. This and additional construction highlights are captured in this month’s drone construction update and detailed below.
Crossings: ASN Constructors, the design and construction arm for the Red River Valley Alliance, began driving h-piles for the abutments and piers on the County Road 6 crossing. Additionally, the project’s interstate crossings, which are west of the metro area on I-94 and north of the metro on I-29, now have all four bypass lanes open to traffic. Work will resume on the interstate crossings in the spring but, if weather permits, construction will continue through the winter on some of the other crossings, with a focus on railroad crossings.
Maple River Aqueduct: ASN Constructors drove some of the more than 9 miles of h-pile that will be needed to support this structure, and they continued placing concrete.
Red River Structure: Ames Construction, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contractor building the FM Area Diversion’s three control structures, installed the second 50-by-52.5-foot gate and began accepting deliveries of portions of the third and final gate for the structure. Additionally, they began excavating a borrow ditch, formed and placed concrete on the structure’s east and west floodwalls, drove piling, and placed stabilization slabs. The structure is now about 70% complete.
Southern Embankment: HSG Park Joint Venture 2, a Corps of Engineers contractor, began to wrap up work on reach SE-1B of the 22-mile earthen levee. Work on all active reaches will be paused during the winter months as well as work on the Oxbow-Hickson-Bakke ring levee.
Stormwater Diversion Channel: ASN Constructors excavated more than a million cubic yards of material this month, bringing them to about 64% completion for moving the necessary 45 million cubic yards.
For the latest road closures and more construction information, go to FMDiversion.gov.
About the Metro Flood Diversion Authority
The MFDA is a permanent North Dakota political subdivision that is cooperatively implementing the Fargo-Moorhead Area Diversion comprehensive project with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The MFDA works in partnership with the Red River Valley Alliance in a public-private partnership as well as the City of Fargo, City of Moorhead, Cass County, Clay County and the Cass County Joint Water Resource District.
