Grand Forks MPO Bases 30-Year Transportation Plan on 0.8% Population Growth

City Council approves baseline growth rate to model future transportation needs

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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The Grand Forks-East Grand Forks Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is developing a 30-year transportation plan based on a projected 0.8% annual population growth rate for the Grand Forks area. The Grand Forks City Council approved this baseline growth rate, which would add around 13,400 new residents by 2055. The MPO will use this population projection to model future transportation infrastructure needs, projects, and safety improvements.

Why it matters

Population growth is a key factor in determining a region's future transportation requirements. By basing its long-term plan on a realistic growth projection, the MPO can better anticipate and prepare for the area's evolving mobility needs, such as potential new road construction, public transit expansions, and traffic safety enhancements.

The details

The MPO considered three possible growth rates - 0.5%, 0.8%, and 1.2% - and recommended the 0.8% baseline based on historical data, economic factors, and community feedback. While the council only voted on the Grand Forks rate, there were some concerns raised about potentially overestimating growth in neighboring East Grand Forks, which was projected at 0.6%. The MPO noted that a slight adjustment to East Grand Forks' rate would have less impact than for the larger Grand Forks population.

  • The MPO's Metropolitan Transportation Plan will cover the years 2025 to 2055.

The players

Grand Forks-East Grand Forks Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)

The regional transportation planning agency responsible for developing the long-term transportation plan for the greater Grand Forks area.

Ben Ehreth

Executive Director of the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MPO.

Dave Sweeney

Transportation consultant with SRF Consulting Group, who presented growth rate data to the City Council.

Mark Schill

Economist with Praxis Strategy Group, who assisted with analyzing population and economic factors for the growth projections.

Dana Sande

President of the Grand Forks City Council, who raised concerns about potentially overestimating growth in East Grand Forks.

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What they’re saying

“If you're overforecasting, that's going to be costly down the road because that would apply the need for more improvement than are probably necessary, and same thing if we're underforecasting.”

— Dave Sweeney, Transportation consultant, SRF Consulting Group (grandforksherald.com)

“Most felt that more growth is happening on the Grand Forks side than the East Grand Forks.”

— Mark Schill, Economist, Praxis Strategy Group (grandforksherald.com)

“I just want to make sure everyone understands that, in my opinion, we're overestimating population growth in East Grand Forks, which will lead to, ultimately, the study showing that we need more bridges and things between our communities.”

— Dana Sande, President, Grand Forks City Council (grandforksherald.com)

What’s next

The MPO will use the approved 0.8% growth rate for Grand Forks to complete its Metropolitan Transportation Plan, which will identify future transportation infrastructure needs and projects for the region.

The takeaway

By basing its long-term transportation planning on realistic population growth projections, the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MPO can ensure its plan addresses the area's evolving mobility requirements in a fiscally responsible manner, while also considering potential differences in growth trends between the two cities.