Feds award $24 million to replace decaying Red River bridges linking North Dakota, Minnesota
File: Aerial view of Nielsville/Cummings Bridge damage (Photo: Polk County Highway Department)
FARGO (KFGO) – The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded a $24 million federal grant to replace three severely deteriorated bridges spanning the Red River between North Dakota and Minnesota, the state’s congressional delegation announced Wednesday.
The funding, allocated through the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program, will replace three historic crossings that have long outlived their operational lifespans: the Nielsville Bridge, the Hendrum Bridge, and the Georgetown Bridge.
Years of structural neglect have left the critical agricultural corridors heavily compromised. One of the bridges is currently closed to all traffic, while the remaining two are bound by strict weight restrictions. Local officials say the closures have crippled regional freight transit, forced lengthy detours for farmers, and slowed emergency response times.
The cross-borde…