The old joke is – in North Dakota, we have two seasons – winter and road construction.
And this is going to be a busy construction season.
"We have over $700 million worth of projects," said North Dakota Department of Transportation Deputy Director for Engineering Matt Linnerman. "About 160 projects for the whole state. And for a normal construction year, that's almost double. "
Linnerman said North Dakota has a relatively short construction season. And he said DOT is reminding drivers to plan ahead, allow extra time in traveling through work zones, and stay alert.
"When you first start seeing those orange cones and traffic control devices, make sure you're alert, because it will be different from what you're used to on a day-to-day basis," Linnerman said. "We know it take extra time and cause some delay. And we all have busy lives, and we want to make sure we get through the day efficiently. But we need to take a little bit of time, and have some patience."
Some of the major projects scheduled this summer include the US Highway 85 construction south of Watford City, 42nd and DeMers underpass in Grand Forks, Memorial Highway in Mandan and I-94 reconstruction east of Bismarck.
Russ Hanson is the executive vice president for the Associated General Contractors of North Dakota. He said the 2025 North Dakota Legislature passed higher fines for speeding in construction zones. It went from a minimum fine of 80 dollars to a minimum of $150. Hanson said he doesn’t have hard data on how that change is affecting driver behavior.
"But anecdotally, the Highway Patrol tells us that change in the minimum fee has people slowing down," Hanson said. "We believe it is working."
The Patrol has some other tips for staying safe in construction zones.
"Wear your seat belt," said Patrol Major Tom Iverson. "Obey the posted speed limit. Don't tailgate. And when in doubt, simply slow down when you are traveling through that work zone."
