Lifetime Achievement Award
2026 Recipient

Download High-ResAl Grasser will be recognized with the Lifetime Achievement award for his long-term service as City Engineer for the City of Grand Forks including playing a key role in the city’s 1997 flood recovery and championing the 42nd Street and DeMers Avenue underpass project now under construction.

Grasser recently retired from his position as City Engineer for the City of Grand Forks. In his forty-two years with the city, he has been involved in all facets of municipal transportation projects including capital planning, project planning, and construction execution. Sidewalks, bike paths, subdivision streets, classified streets, and traffic signal operations were part of his portfolio. To Grasser’s credit, Grand Forks residents appreciate that you can still get from one end of Grand Forks to the other in 15 minutes. During his career, Grasser researched and implemented a number of unique engineering techniques to extend the life and performance of transportation infrastructure within the city. His goal has been on the efficient use of taxpayer dollars with a focus on improving the safety and the reliability of the city’s systems. During his career he mentored numerous team members, many who have gone on to become city and county Engineers themselves.

During the 1997 flood, Grasser was assistant city engineer. In 2001, he was promoted to city engineer and played a key role in rebuilding the city’s infrastructure and protecting the city from future floods. He ended his city career with two significant transportation projects: the 42nd Street/DeMers underpass project which is currently under construction, and the 47th Avenue South/Interstate 29 interchange which is currently in the land acquisition phase. The 42nd Street/DeMers project led by the City of Grand Forks in partnership with the North Dakota Department of Transportation and BNSF Railway, has been a priority for the community for many years. In addition to improving traffic flow, the project will enhance safety, support future growth, and improve connectivity to key destinations throughout Grand Forks. The 47th Avenue South Interchange, the first new interstate interchange built in Grand Forks in more than 50 years, will reduce congestion and accommodate anticipated development on the south side of the city.

Grasser earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from North Dakota State University and is a registered Professional Engineer in the state of North Dakota. He joined the City of Grand Forks as a project engineer in 1984. In retirement, he plans to spend time at the lake with his wife Cheryl and their grandchildren.