Watford City Main Street Reconstruction

Watford City may be way out west, but it certainly has a vision that puts it on the sophistication map when it comes to its downtown. Knowing that the NDDOT had targeted construction funds to do major work through the downtown area, local citizens and businesses started planning at a very early stage to develop a street master plan. Local committee members traveled to distance cities such as Langdon and Killdeer to develop ideas and practical solutions to major design elements. In the end, the new streetscape provided a wonderful combination of decorative street lighting, colored concrete crosswalks and medians.

Using feedback from the City, plan preparation was provided by the DOTSI Center of the NDDOT at NDSU. Solutions to counteract the disturbance to the local business community during construction were critical. Amazingly, Northern Improvement Co. secured the low bid for the project, beating the next lowest bidder by a few thousand dollars. NIC teamed with Winn Construction to construct the concrete pavement, sidewalks, and decorative concrete elements. A number of different goals were targeted for the construction. Decorative concrete was effectively used to establish full depth color to differentiate cross-walks and medians. A soldier course brick pattern edged the broom-finished crosswalks, providing a nice combination of texture. Sidewalks were made as wide as possible while preserving effective snow plowing and removal operations in the street.

Watford City had one chance to get it right. We extend compliments to the teamwork and effort to bring this dream project to a wonderful conclusion.