The Main Street Reconstruction project in New Town includes sewer and water upgrades, lighting, sidewalks and paving and is being done in segments to minimize disruptions to businesses. Signage indicates how to access each business, whether a rear entrance is necessary or Main Street access is available. Detours will take local traffic through the area and around construction so that motorists can still get around Main Street and travel around the area.
A bypass and a truck reliever route are defined as an ancillary State Highway intended to alleviate regional traffic from the principal (primary) highway system. Examples of the principal highway system would be US 2 and US 85. So the bypasses and truck reliever routes under construction in our region are able to assist with traffic flow that originates from these two highways.
While a bypass and a truck reliever route are defined similarly, there is a primary difference: a truck reliever route requires the driver to turn onto the route and a bypass route allows traffic to flow onto the route. In the case of a bypass, the highway in town would become a business route. The main function of a business route is to emphasize local accessibility.
That’s a great question. This summer crews will be creating a four-lane roadway that will take you from ND 23 to the southeast of Watford City if you’re traveling from US 85 northbound and on to ND 23 towards the eastern side of the oil patch.
Also, work is continuing on the SW Bypass project this year, which will eventually take you around Watford City and re-connect you with US 85 northbound if you’re headed northbound towards Williston. If you’re headed to the eastern side of the oil patch, you’ll be routed onto the new SW Bypass once it’s complete, which will re-connect with ND 23, taking you east to the SE Bypass and then north towards New Town.
Signage will be posted about detours and when necessary flaggers will direct traffic. You might also want to check out our interactive map, which allows you to view roads currently under construction where you should expect delays, what roads will look like midway through construction season, and then what roads will look like at the end of the 2014 construction season along with what’s planned for 2015. This will help you in planning ahead for your journey.
This is a complex project, so let’s see if we can help by giving you some background. First of all, this is a $56.3 million project. The total amount of roadway being built is approximately 13 miles. The reliever route will create a four lane highway that will route truck traffic around the western edge of Williston by taking trucks traveling west on US 2 around the edge of town as they travel towards southbound US 85. You’ve probably noticed that this is a very congested area with long wait times for locals and trucks alike. This project will vastly improve traffic flow in the area.
Now let’s talk about the phases:
Phase 1 is the first 2.5 miles of the project and will be completed in the fall of 2014. You’ve probably noticed that at the intersection of US 2 and US 85 southbound that traffic continuing west on US 2 is being routed onto the eastbound lanes and that westbound US 2 is closed in that area. This closure will be in effect until early July while they build the first segment of the new roadway.
Phase 2 will also start this year and it will be completed in 2014, This part of the project will create two lanes for the reliever route. So it will be a complete reliever route, but next year those two lanes will become four lanes. Meanwhile trucks can still use the temporary truck reliever route that is in place, which will also help alleviate congestion.
Phase 3 is the project in 2015 that will make the two-lane roadway a four-lane roadway. Then this project will be complete.
Even though this sounds like it should be called a bypass, and it is a bypass, local residents in each community with road construction of this kind were asked whether they wanted to call the project a “bypass” or a “truck reliever route.” Residents in Williston preferred the term “truck reliever route,” so that’s where the name comes from.
This project is designed to create a two lane roadway that will re-route traffic from ND 23 to the northeast of New Town. This means fewer trucks traveling through town while your town can still reap the benefits of the oil boom. Right now, there are approximately 9,000 vehicles traveling through New Town each day.
This project is a $25 million project and is a new 3.2 mile long stretch of roadway. During construction there will be delays at the intersection of 1804 and ND 23 as well as on 1804 throughout the summer, but the benefits will provide much easier travel for everyone in New Town.
Also, this project is collaborative effort between state, tribal and local governments working together. The leaders in your area worked very hard to help NDDOT bring these improvements to New Town this year.
The Alexander Bypass project is a $24.9 million project, and is approximately 3.7 miles long. The project is anticipated for completion in the fall of 2014. The roadway will be a 4 lane roadway re-routing US 85 traffic to the west of Alexander in order to “bypass” the center of town, dramatically cutting down on truck traffic in the local community and easing travel for trucks in the area.
This project is a collaborative effort between state and local governments working together. In fact, Alexander residents voted on whether they would like the project called a “bypass” or a “truck reliever route.” This project is also part of an overall enhancement to the US 85 corridor, including the four lane project from Watford City to Williston.
