The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) and McKenzie County marked the completion of the U.S. Highway 85 four-lane expansion project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 25.

Chad Orn, NDDOT deputy director for planning, and State Senator Brad Bekkedahl joined local officials to celebrate the project, which enhances safety and traffic flow for this heavily traveled route.

“The successful completion of this Highway 85 four-lane project is a major win for the state of North Dakota,” said Orn. “This heavily traveled highway received several major upgrades that will increase safety for motorists and pedestrians, improve traffic flow and enhance the movement of goods.”

Costing $100 million, the project widened the highway from Watford City to the Long X Bridge, added a shared-use path, and included landslide repairs and wildlife accommodations.

“This is truly a great day for McKenzie County and our region,” said Howdy Lawlar, McKenzie County Board of County Commissioners chairman. “Thank you to NDDOT, the contractor CSI, the designers, engineers, and everyone else for their diligence in completing this project. We also thank the citizens for their patience during construction.”

Dakota Country 96.1 logo
Get our free mobile app

For updates on road conditions, call 511 or visit the ND Roads map online.

5 Insider Ways To Fit In When Moving To Montana

Unless you've spent a lot of time in Montana, picking up and moving here isn't as easy as moving to other states. The pace of change has been rapid, but the basic difficulty of daily life remains.

Gallery Credit: mwolfe

 

More From Dakota Country 96.1