Fargo City Commissioner comments on pedestrian bridge project closure amid "Immense public outcry"

(Fargo, ND) -- The future of a pedestrian bridge near city hall is currently off the books, but the far future could see a resurrection of the project.

The comments were made by John Strand, one of five Fargo City Commissioners. The project would have attempted to create a pedestrian bridge that connected City Hall to a bike path on the other side of a flood wall just east of the government building. The project faced heavy criticism from members of the community, and the City Commission eventually voted to shut down the proposal earlier this week. 

 "There was immense public outcry saying 'this isn't your highest priority', "said Commissioner Strand in an exclusive interview with WDAY Radio, "Folks were saying 'you're going to spend how many millions of dollars to just get over the wall? You know you can walk over here a couple-hundred feet and get there."

Commissioner Strand says the project will not continue for the time being, but did allude to several new projects that are in the works at this time. One he laid out was the high possibility of a plaza that would be built on the other side of the flood wall where the bridge would have originally ended. Stand says the key details of the plaza's contents, when construction would begin, how much it would cost, and other important facts are currently unknown. The commissioner does say the plaza construction, the building of infrastructure in several areas near City Hall, and the possible reconstruction or tearing down of Fargo's Civic Center, could lead to the possibility of a bridge project between them.

"If we can look at the bigger picture, the long term view of the plaza development and who the tenants and destinations will be, then lets connect them with a bridge, "said Strand, saying the project almost certainly won't be revived soon.

You can read more about the proposed bridge project by clicking here.