3.2.5 Region 5 - Fargo
Region 5 is located in the southeast corner of North Dakota. The region includes six counties (Cass, Ransom, Richland, Sargent, Steele, and Traill - Figure 3.15) and has a total surface area of 6,523 square miles. With a population of 162,127, the region has 24.9 residents per square mile, by far the highest in the state.
Figure 3.15 Counties in Region 5
The Fargo metropolitan area is the region's shopping and medical center. Major North Dakota cities in the metropolitan area include Fargo, with an estimated 2003 population of 91,484, and West Fargo, with a 2003 population of 16,431. Fargo is also the home of North Dakota State University, the state's second largest institution of higher education. The minutes of the Region 5 Focus Group meeting are presented in Appendix G.
The region has a larger number of potentially transportation disadvantaged-residents than any other region. The potentially disadvantaged include three groups of residents: 37,253 disabled residents or 23 percent of the population, 18,702 senior residents or 11.5 percent of the population, 16,125 low-income residents or 9.9 percent of the population, Figure 3.16. There may be some overlap as these are not three separate and distinct groups.
Figure 3.16 Demographics for Region 5
Source: US Census Bureau, 2000 ND Quick Facts online at www.census.gov
Fargo has daily east and westbound intercity bus service on Interstate Highway I-94 and north and southbound services on Interstate Highway I-29, as well as fixed route bus service with in the city. Fargo is also served by Amtrak and has two local taxi operators.
The Fargo-Moorhead Council of Government's 2004 Directory of Special Transportation Services identifies 10 general public transportation services providers in the metropolitan area and an additional 20 providers that serve only their residents. These local providers include the local fixed-route bus service and dial-a-ride/paratransit services that are provided by the Fargo Senior Commission. The Fargo Senior Commission also provides public transportation services in the region's rural areas.
The region has 16 nursing homes, seven basic care facilities, eight assisted living homes, and five facilities that care for developmentally disabled individuals. Survey results reflected in Table 3.9 indicate that several of these facilities provide transportation services for their residents.
Table 3.9 Number of Vehicles by Agency in Region 5
| Entity Name | Location | NH* | BC* | AL* | DD* | T* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Good Samaritan Center | Arthur | 2 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Bethany Homes | Fargo | 1 | 0 | |||
| Elim Care Center | Fargo | 1 | ||||
| Four Seasons Health Care Center | Forman | 2 | 0 | |||
| Hillsboro Medical Center Nursing Home | Hillsboro | NR | ||||
| Luther Memorial Home | Mayville | 2 | ||||
| Maryhill Manor | Enderlin | NR | ||||
| Manor Care Health Services | Fargo | NR | ||||
| MeritCare Hospital TCU | Fargo | NR | ||||
| North Dakota Veterans Home | Lisbon | NR | ||||
| Parkside Lutheran Home | Lisbon | NR | ||||
| Rosewood on Broadway | Fargo | NR | ||||
| St. Catherine's Living Center | Wahpeton | NR | NR | |||
| St. Gerard's Community Nursing Home | Hankinson | NR | ||||
| Tri-County Retirement and Nursing Home | Hatton | 2 | 0 | |||
| Villa Maria Health Care | Fargo | NR | ||||
| Evergreens of Fargo | Fargo | 0 | ||||
| Leach Home | Wahpeton | 1 | ||||
| Waterford at Harwood Groves | Fargo | 1 | 0 | |||
| Beverly Anne Assisted Living Center | Lisbon | 1 | ||||
| Prairie Villa | Arthur | NR | ||||
| Pioneer House Assisted Living Inc. | Fargo | NR | ||||
| Prospect Manor | Lisbon | NR | ||||
| Riverview Place | Fargo | NR | ||||
| Community Living Services, Inc | Fargo | 0 | ||||
| Vocational Training Center | Fargo | 0 | ||||
| Fraser Ltd | Fargo | 12 | ||||
| Friendship, Inc. | Fargo | 31 | ||||
| Red River Human Services Foundation | Fargo | NR | ||||
| City of Fargo Transit | Fargo | 23 | ||||
| Fargo Senior Commission | Fargo | 8 | ||||
| †Cass County | Fargo | 1 | ||||
| †Ransom County | Lisbon | 2 | ||||
| †Southeast Senior Services | Wahpeton | 5 | ||||
| †Sargent County | Forman | 2 | ||||
| †Steel County | Finley | 1 | ||||
| †Traill County | Hillsboro | 2 | ||||
| Handiwheels | Fargo | 2 | ||||
| Lucky 7 | Fargo | NR | ||||
| Doyle's Yellow Checker Cab, Inc. | Fargo | NR | ||||
| Totals | 10 | 3 | 0 | 43 | 46 | |
NH = nursing home, BC = basic care, AL = assisted living, DD = developmental disabilities, and T = transit
NS = Not surveyed
NR = No Response to Survey
† Managed by Fargo Senior Commission
In terms of total expenditures, Region 5 spends more to provide public transportation services than any other region in the state. The region is second only to Region 4 in terms of per capita spending on transit $16.06 ($16.06 vs. $21.95). The region's source of transit support is summarized in Table 3.10.
Table 3.10 Region 5 Transportation Dollars
| Source | Dollars ($) |
|---|---|
| Federal (5311) | 52,994 |
| Federal (5307) | 916,104 |
| State Aid | 303,172 |
| Title III B | 75,000 |
| Local Mill | 512,597 |
| Other | 52,098 |
| Fares | 396,858 |
| Medicaid | 295,108 |
| Total | 2,603,931 |
As is the case with all of the state's eight regions, additional money flows into the region to reimburse area residents for transportation costs incurred to access various federal programs, including auto repair and insurance premium for personal vehicles. These reimbursements for vehicle repair and other transportation costs amount to:
- Vocational Rehabilitation (DHS) - $14,428
- TANF and JOBS (DHS) - $104,206
- Workforce Investment Act (JSND) - $2,982
There is obvious coordination between major urban and rural paratransit operations in the region given the fact that both services are operated by the Fargo Senior Commission. The Fargo-Moorhead Council of Governments is also working to further coordinate all transportation services in the area.