RDG in the Media: Upgrading the University of North Dakota’s University Avenue

For many years, prospective students entering the University of North Dakota campus were greeted by an unwelcoming, pedestrian-unfriendly four-lane road known as University Avenue. Despite the ongoing development and expansion of UND’s campus, the quality and safety of University Avenue were overlooked – planted medians were paved for ease of maintenance, and a web of streets, driveways and crosswalks along the corridor caused confusion for pedestrians and motorists alike. Then, in 2017, the university, in partnership with the City of Grand Forks and RDG Planning & Design, initiated a $13 million renovation of University Avenue.

In the latest issue of Landscape Architect Magazine, RDG’s Bruce Niedermyer, PLA, ASLA, LEED AP and Nate Byro, PLA, ASLA explore what it takes to renovate a one-mile stretch of road through the heart of campus and how, through thoughtful design, UND’s University Avenue has been transformed into an iconic streetscape that celebrates the university, accommodates safe multi-modal traffic and stands up to the challenges of winter.

Click to read Niedermyer and Byro’s full article in Landscape Architect Magazine on the process of upgrading UND’s University Avenue.