Due to recent rapid expansion in the state as a result of oil development, NDDOT has had to deal with congestion and traffic issues it didn’t experience a few short years ago. Dickinson, located on the southern edge of the Bakken oil fields, serves as the primary transportation link to I-94. One of Dickinson’s main roadways—State Avenue, a major north-south route—was experiencing enough congestion to frustrate commuters and hinder emergency response times due to an on-grade BNSF rail crossing. To alleviate this issue, NDDOT built an overpass to allow about 7,000 vehicles a day to be separated from the 15-20 daily trains that used to stop traffic. The $33 million project allowed drivers and emergency vehicles to get where they needed to go much faster and increased safety by limiting direct car/train interactions.
America's Transportation Awards 