Improving North Dakota Roads - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

Increased truck traffic in North Dakota is taking quite a toll on roads.

Today Governor Jack Dalrymple signs into law, a bill that will spend more than 700 million dollars improving roads in the state.

It's a bumpy ride for those who travel along highway 85 in western North Dakota.

"If you take for example the highway 85 corridor between Watford City and Williston it wasn't too many years ago that roadway was carrying 2,000 vehicles a day, our last traffic count was almost over 11,500 vehicles a day," Grant Levi with the North Dakota Department of Transportation said.

Highway 85 is just one of the roads that will benefit from Senate Bill 2176.

"We have seen in the last two years a 50 percent increase in traffic in western North Dakota, if you look at it in a statewide basis, we're seeing a 20 percent increase in traffic, much of that traffic is truck traffic," Levi said.

$720 million is being used to improve roads.

$620 million will be used for highway improvements in the state's oil producing counties and $100 million for projects in non-oil producing counties.

"Will provide us with the ability to work on approximately 1,400 miles of highway across the state during the upcoming biennium," Governor Jack Dalrymple said.

The bill was fast tracked last month, allowing DOT officials to approve bids this month, and start construction as soon as the snow melts.

"We will have this funding immediately available to allow us to take full advantage of our construction season," Dalrymple said.

To make sure North Dakota roads are safe, and smooth.

This summer crews will work to convert Highway 85 into a four-lane highway between Watford City and Willison.

Other Improvements For 2013 Construction Season:

Improvements along U.S. Highway 2

Roadway Reconstruction on ND Highway 8

Additional Improvements on ND Highway 22

Resurface U.S. Highway 52

Reconstruction on parts of ND Highway 2

Improvements on ND Highway 1804 and 1806