The Theodore Roosevelt Expressway (TRE), U.S. 85, is the major corridor serving the Bakken region and connects North Dakota with major markets for its goods, resources and labor force.

TRE begins in Rapid City, SD and flows through the cities of Spearfish and Belle Fourche; through North Dakota including Bowman, Belfield, Watford City and Williston; into Montana including Culbertson, and Plentywood; and finally through the Port of Raymond into Canada. As part of the Ports-to-Plains Corridor, it also connects to markets south to Texas and Mexico. Almost $3.3 billion of North Dakota goods are projected to be exported domestically by truck to the ten-state Ports-to-Plains region by 2015; an increase of 217% since 2002.

Long before the oil and gas play in western North Dakota, U.S. 85 was looked upon in as a link to economic development opportunities for rural western North Dakota. North -south travelers use U.S. 85 to reach destinations such as Theodore Roosevelt Park in North Dakota, the Black Hills in South Dakota or on their way to destinations further south to the Colorado mountains or to Northern destinations in Canada. Many of the communities relied on U.S. 85 to bring customers to their door. Today, It is not easy to listen to travelers say “I do not use that road anymore if I can help it.” What effect will that have on these local small business? On the safety of travelers? On the development of the Bakken resources? On North Dakota’s economy?

The North Dakota legislature recognized that the answer to these questions was reliant upon the expansion of the TRE in North Dakota and included significantly increased transportation funding in it biennial budget for 2013-2014. The additional funding comes from oil and gas revenue collected from the oil and gas companies developing North Dakota’s energy resources. The expansion to a four-lane U.S. Highway 85 needs to move forward as quickly as possible by the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT).

The environmental process is underway on the expansion project between Williston and Watford City. Hopefully that project will begin construction next year. We urge the NDDOT to initiate the environmental process on U.S. 85 south of Watford City. But there is a problem… U.S. 85 skirts the North Unit of the Theodore Roosevelt Park. An expanded U.S. 85 would affect less than two miles skirting the northern unit. The environmental process should address alternatives and assist NDDOT in finding the preferred alternative for addressing the potential impacts. The current status of U.S. Highway 85 from Watford City to Belfield is creating a dangerous situation for visitors to western North Dakota, especially those visiting Theodore Roosevelt National Park and other public available Federal lands.

The National Park Service, however, along with one additional conservation group, has chosen to preempt the environmental process by sending a letter to NDDOT opposing the expansion. As a result it appears that moving into the environmental process has been halted by NDDOT. The Theodore Roosevelt Expressway Association, the communities and small businesses along U.S. Highway 85, are urging NDDOT to fast track the environmental process. The National Park Service will have a rightful seat at the table, along with other conservation groups. In the environmental process, all parties will have a seat at the table to find the best alternative to protect both public safety and the Northern Unit of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The Theodore Roosevelt Expressway Association does not want to see the Northern Unit become a congested choke point that has the real impact of creating both significant safety and environmental impacts.