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West Fargo Today
By the People, for the People
West Fargo Approves Pedestrian Refuge Island Near The Lights
City plans to install rapid flashing beacons to improve safety for pedestrians crossing 32nd Avenue.
Mar. 23, 2026 at 8:50pm
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The City of West Fargo is moving forward with a plan to create a pedestrian refuge island at the intersection of 5th Street West and 32nd Avenue West near The Lights event venue. The $230,000 project will include installing rectangular rapid flashing beacons to alert drivers when pedestrians are crossing, addressing safety concerns from the high volume of foot traffic during events at The Lights.
Why it matters
The Lights has become an extremely popular amenity for West Fargo residents, but the large crowds crossing 32nd Avenue during events have raised safety concerns. The new pedestrian refuge island and flashing beacons aim to improve pedestrian safety in the area.
The details
The West Fargo Police Department requested the city's Senior Director of Community and Development, Dan Hanson, to look into the intersection issues. Hanson proposed creating a pedestrian refuge island and installing rectangular rapid flashing beacons to give drivers a clear indication when pedestrians are crossing the street. The City Commission unanimously approved the $230,000 project, though an exact timeline for completion is still unknown.
- The West Fargo City Commission approved the project last Monday.
- The estimated construction cost is approximately $230,000.
The players
Dan Hanson
The City of West Fargo's Senior Director of Community and Development who presented the pedestrian safety proposal to the City Commission.
West Fargo Police Department
Requested the city look into safety issues at the intersection of 5th Street West and 32nd Avenue West near The Lights event venue.
West Fargo City Commission
Unanimously approved the $230,000 project to create a pedestrian refuge island and install rapid flashing beacons at the intersection.
What they’re saying
“Events and concerts at The Lights have added an extremely popular amenity for West Fargo residents. However, the large volumes of pedestrian traffic generated during events have significantly increased the potential for pedestrian–vehicle conflicts.”
— Dan Hanson, Senior Director of Community and Development
“Right now, when we have events at The Lights, there is a tremendous amount of people that cross over 32nd Avenue in the location of Fifth Street. This has been noticed to be not a safe situation for that amount of people to be crossing without any form of pedestrian crossings.”
— Dan Hanson, Senior Director of Community and Development
What’s next
An exact timetable for the project's completion is unknown at this time.
The takeaway
The City of West Fargo is taking proactive steps to improve pedestrian safety near the popular The Lights event venue by creating a refuge island and installing rapid flashing beacons to alert drivers. This demonstrates the city's commitment to balancing the needs of residents, businesses, and public safety as the community continues to grow.
