Vote by Bemidji City Council on Planned Highway 197 Project Fails

A vote for the planned State Highway 197 project has failed after multiple Bemidji city councilors voted no on the plans at their meeting on Monday.

The council discussed a Memorandum of Understanding from the Minnesota Department of Transportation on proposed roundabouts on Highway 197 at the intersections of Hannah Avenue and the entrance to Menards.

Councilors Josh Peterson and Audrey Thayer, as well as Mayor Jorge Prince, were the ones who voted no on the project, all of whom expressed concerns over certain design choices for the intersection of Hannah Avenue and Highway 197 that may impact some buildings in the area, as well as pedestrian safety.

“I’ve been reached out to by multiple businesses along this corridor. I’ve had taxpayers, residents, constituents stop at – literally stop at my house to talk to me about this project. And they don’t want it,” said Peterson, who represents Ward 2, during the meeting. “A primary concern is the one roundabout at Hannah Avenue. I can’t knowingly support something when I’ve had the businesses along that stretch of the corridor and the number of people that have contacted me, either stopped to see me or called me or emailed me. This is in my ward and I just need to do what I believe I should do by representing the people that reached out to me in my ward on this project. So I will be voting no.”

Ward 1 Councilor Gwenia Fiskevold Gould originally voted no but made a motion to reconsider the proposal. However, the council could not come to an agreement and the vote failed.

Because Ward 3 Councilor Ron Johnson was not present at the meeting, the council will revisit the plans at their next meeting.