September 29, 2016
Bypass to bisect golf course
By Jerry W. Kram
There was good news and bad news at the latest New Town City Council meeting. The good news is that the North Dakota Department of Transportation is ready to move forward with the completion of the Highway 23 bypass on the west side of New Town.
The bad news is that the preferred route for the highway will go right through the middle of Edgewater Country Club Golf Course. But even that is not all bad news. Jan Einrem with the NDDOT told council members that federal law requires that any facility such as a golf course has to be made whole before construction can begin.
What that means for the Edgewater golf course is not only will the state replace the holes that are disturbed by the project, but because the route will also require the demolition of the current clubhouse, the state will build a new clubhouse and pro shop. The current building is more than 60 years old and needs major renovations.
Einrem said the golf association and the city have been closely involved in the bypass planning process. Seven routes for the bypass were considered, four that were sited west of the course and three that crossed the course. The western alternatives would have crossed Sanish Bay or land controlled by the Army Corps of Engineers. Crossing Corps land would have taking several years of permitting and litigation, so those routes were taken out of consideration. Of the three routes the crossed the golf course, the central alternative was deemed to have the least impact on the operation of the course.
The bad news is that the preferred route for the highway will go right through the middle of Edgewater Country Club Golf Course. But even that is not all bad news. Jan Einrem with the NDDOT told council members that federal law requires that any facility such as a golf course has to be made whole before construction can begin.
What that means for the Edgewater golf course is not only will the state replace the holes that are disturbed by the project, but because the route will also require the demolition of the current clubhouse, the state will build a new clubhouse and pro shop. The current building is more than 60 years old and needs major renovations.
Einrem said the golf association and the city have been closely involved in the bypass planning process. Seven routes for the bypass were considered, four that were sited west of the course and three that crossed the course. The western alternatives would have crossed Sanish Bay or land controlled by the Army Corps of Engineers. Crossing Corps land would have taking several years of permitting and litigation, so those routes were taken out of consideration. Of the three routes the crossed the golf course, the central alternative was deemed to have the least impact on the operation of the course.
