05/09/2025 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE/ MARK YOUR CALENDERS
Department of Transportation Appropriations
SB 2012 provides $2.72 billion in special and federal funds to the North Dakota Department of Transportation for the 2025–2027 biennium, supporting salaries, operations, capital assets, and infrastructure grants. The bill establishes a Legacy Earnings Fund, funded by a portion of the Legacy Fund earnings, with allocations to debt service, the Highway Fund, and property tax relief. It overhauls the Flexible Transportation Fund and revises oil and gas tax distributions to prioritize infrastructure investments in non-oil-producing counties, including the creation of separate municipal and county/township infrastructure funds ($40 million). The bill also includes one-time funding for major highway projects ($287 million), facility improvements ($5.97 million), equipment upgrades ($5.8 million), and a passenger rail planning grant ($150,000).
Additional provisions authorize the completion of the U.S. Highway 85 four-lane project. The funding for Hwy 85 is $155 million from SIIF. $55 million is dedicated to match the federal grant of $55 million for the 13 mile stretch from the top of the breaks to the intersection of highway 200 to Killdeer. The other $100 million is to complete the 6.5 mile stretch from the Long X Bridge to the top of the breaks. NDDOT is planning to bid the projects this fall or early next year to start construction in 2026 and continuing into 2027 for completion.
The Bill also has language to start the NEPA (environmental) from I-94 at Belfield to the South Dakota Border, once the project nears completion from Highway 200 to I-94.
This is a huge step forward, Thanks to the 2025 Legislative Session!!!
Mark your Calendars
The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) will host public information meetings Wednesday, May 28, 2025, and Thursday May 29, 2025, from 5-7 p.m. Mountain Time to discuss proposed improvements to US 85 from the I-94 junction to the ND 200 junction.
The first meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 28, at the Fairfield Fire Hall, 12823 20th Street SW, in Fairfield. The second meeting will be held on Thursday, May 29 at the Belfield Memorial Hall, 107 2nd Avenue NE, in Belfield. Both meetings will be an open house format with a formal presentation at 5:30 pm Mountain Time.
The project consists of widening US 85 from two lanes to four lanes.
Representatives from the NDDOT and Apex Engineering Group will be on hand to answer questions and discuss concerns.
Information is also available on the project page website at US 85 Expansion (I-94 to Watford City Bypass) | NDDOT
The NDDOT will consider every request for reasonable accommodation to provide an accessible meeting facility or other accommodation for people with disabilities. Language interpretation and translation services will be available upon request for this meeting.
To request accommodations, contact Heather Christianson, Civil Rights Division, NDDOT, at 701-328-2978 or civilrights@nd.gov. TTY users may use Relay North Dakota at 711 or 1-800-366-6888. SECTION 19.
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