Bemidji Council Approves Road Rebuild and Solar Projects, Assessments Set

The Bemidji City Council on December 15 approved a road reconstruction project covering portions of 11th Street NW, 10th Street NW, and Jeannette Avenue NW, and a separate solar on public buildings project that will place arrays at four municipal facilities. Both projects were advanced with estimated costs and timelines that set the stage for public review and construction next year.

The road project, estimated at approximately $1.5 million, will fully reconstruct 11th Street NW from Rice Avenue NW to Irvine Avenue NW, 10th Street NW from Jeannette Avenue NW to Park Avenue NW, and Jeannette Avenue NW from 10th Street NW to 11th Street NW. Work will include new pavement, curb and gutter, driveway aprons, replacement of the water main and PVC sewer mains, the addition of storm sewer, and a short sidewalk segment along Gordon Falls Park. The city also plans to provide sanitary sewer and water service to adjacent properties that currently lack service.

Property owners adjacent to the reconstruction will be assessed a uniform rate of forty five dollars per linear foot and one thousand seventy dollars per utility service. One stretch of the project will receive a reduced assessment because of a prior assessment dating to 1988. A public hearing on the street project has been set for January 20, 2026, and construction could occur from May through October 2026 if schedules and permitting proceed as planned.

The solar project will add photovoltaic arrays at the Sanford Center, Fire Station 2, Nealson Reise Arena, and the City Park Warming House. The total estimated cost is about seven hundred thousand dollars. Seventy percent of that amount is expected to be covered by a state grant, and the remaining thirty percent could be offset by a federal rebate or support from Otter Tail Power if the rebate is not available. The city anticipates the arrays could be operational by summer 2026.

For residents, the road project means both long term infrastructure improvements and short term construction impacts to traffic and property assessments that will affect financial obligations for homeowners and businesses along the corridors. The solar project offers potential energy cost savings for city facilities and aligns municipal operations with state funded renewable priorities. The council s approvals set the projects on a path that will require public input at the January hearing and close monitoring of funding sources and construction schedules in the months ahead.