Transfer Station Facility

Summary

After 40 years in operation, the transfer station in Moorhead, Minnesota, was undersized and outdated. Clay County and the City of Moorhead wanted to replace it with a facility that could handle long-term growth, as well as encourage increased diversion.

We were selected to design the new transfer station facility. The eight-month contract included a thorough needs assessment, development of five design concepts and final plans for the selected design.

Specific requirements included a household hazardous waste (HHW) facility, office and educational spaces, and drop-off locations for tires, construction debris, appliances and electronics. For safety, commercial waste traffic needed to be separated from residential traffic. Because of the extreme winters in Moorhead, we were also asked to explore cost-effective ways to maintain a comfortable working temperature for transfer station employees.

Early in the project, we toured four similar facilities with county and city staff to gather ideas and set priorities.

We held design workshops with county and city staff, while permitting meetings took place with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and local codes officials.

Ultimately, five design alternatives were presented. Each concept contained a drawing of the facility, including traffic flow and locations of buildings; floor plans and elevation drawings for each building; a list of pros and cons; and cost estimates. Feedback was used to refine and select one alternative, for which final design plans and specifications were developed.

Since the final design was approved, we have continued to support the county’s funding initiative by presenting detailed project updates to city and county board members, and other stakeholders.
Additionally, we have been asked to develop a recycling facility on the same campus. We are working with the county to issue the request for proposal for future private operation of the facility as part of a public-private partnership.