Peace Garden News

The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) has been awarded $20 million through the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program. The funds are designated for improvements on the US 52 route, focusing on enhancing safety and efficiency for both passenger and freight transportation.

The project includes the rehabilitation of approximately 45 miles of asphalt pavement from west of Drake to Fessenden. Additionally, it will consolidate access points at the intersection of US 52 and North Dakota Highway 3 in Harvey, and introduce acceleration and deceleration lanes at existing at-grade railroad crossings. Turn lanes will also be added at intersections from seven miles south of Portal to Carrington.

U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer commented on the importance of this development: “As we say, North Dakota feeds and fuels the world, and Highway 52 is an essential artery for the flow of many of our goods getting to markets,” he said. “This grant will help expand this really important transportation corridor and then at the same time, improves the safety for producers and the traveling public.”

In May, a letter supporting NDDOT’s Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant application was sent by the North Dakota delegation. Senator Cramer led an amendment to prioritize states that have never received an INFRA grant as part of the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act passed by the Senate EPW Committee in 2021. Following these efforts, North Dakota received its first INFRA grant that year. This latest award marks North Dakota's second INFRA grant since Cramer's amendment was enacted.