State Street Construction Update - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

State Street Construction Update

Summer is known for construction work, and in Bismarck one stretch of road is causing a lot of headaches for drivers.

We give you an update on State Street, and tell you why workers are now changing to a night schedule to get the project complete.

The five o' clock hour can be a nightmare for some driving on State Street.

"I suppose it's added about five to ten minutes, both ways, so it has slowed me down some but you know you just allow a little more time," Jay Leintz of Bismarck said.

Crews have been working on the outside lanes since the project started, and say as of right now they're about 60% to 70% done.

"The majority of the repairs that we've been doing on the project have been on the outside lanes, and we've also concentrated on the intersections like at Century and Interstate Avenue," Project Manager Doug Fercho said.

Now crews will soon start work on the center lanes of State Street, and they're also starting to work night shifts.

"It's going to be a little more congested in the center lanes because you've got traffic on both sides, traffic will be split on each side, of course for trucks that means only 12 foot width," Fercho said.

It also will be safer for crews, with less traffic at night, and a lot more access available for equipment.

But, many drivers aren't looking forward to the middle lane being closed.

"Yeah I'll definitely be avoiding it then, cause that will probably make it even worse," Jeni Grunseth of Bismarck said.

"Initially it's going to take some adjustment to get used to it you know, the middle lane is going to slow things down," Leintz said.

But with just a little patience, drivers can soon enjoy a smooth, cone less drive down State street.

Construction is expected to be done sometime by mid to late September.