Fergus Falls council reviews change orders for street reconstruction project

Fergus Falls city leaders were briefed on change orders tied to the reconstruction of Cavour, Cleveland and Summit avenues, keeping three of the city’s most visible corridors under active review as crews and engineers work through the next phase of street construction. The discussion matters because those adjustments can affect what taxpayers pay, how long work lasts and how much of each project stays in the original scope.

The city’s engineering department handles construction and improvement work on water mains, sanitary and storm sewer systems, streets and alleys, and Kyle Meyer is listed by the city as engineer. Fergus Falls also says repair, resurfacing and reconstruction of city streets are a high priority, which helps explain why the council continues to track these projects closely as they move from planning into construction.

Cavour Avenue is the clearest example of the scale involved. The Cavour Avenue & Alleyway Improvements project was awarded and was scheduled to begin in early summer 2026, with an estimated completion date of October 2026. Its scope covers West Cavour Avenue, North Court Street, North Mill Street, alleyways and city parking lots, along with sanitary sewer, water main, storm sewer, sidewalk, driveway, roadway and drainage improvements. For residents and businesses near those blocks, the work means more than fresh pavement: it reaches underground utilities, access points and drainage systems that can alter how the street functions long after the crews leave.

Summit Avenue is part of a separate infrastructure package. The Otter Tail Valley Rail Signal Replacement project includes four crossings, including Summit Avenue, and the city’s project materials say MnDOT is fully funding the work under a lump-sum agreement of $500,000. That puts Summit in a different funding stream from the Cavour work and shows why the avenue has surfaced in more than one city project discussion.

Cleveland Avenue has also been moving through the city’s pipeline. A bidding record for Cleveland Avenue Improvements was published April 29, 2026 and updated May 20, 2026, signaling that the street had entered active project delivery as council members were being updated on change orders. The city had already been laying groundwork earlier in the year, when a Jan. 5, 2026 council meeting summary said staff were to prepare feasibility reports for Cavour, Cleveland and Douglas Avenue projects.

The broader pattern shows Fergus Falls has been working through several street efforts over multiple construction seasons, including Summit 2024 and Stanton Ave. 2024. For drivers headed downtown or toward the west side, and for nearby property owners trying to plan around access and construction, the council’s review of change orders is one more step in a longer citywide rebuild.