The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT), in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is completing the final design for improvements along US Highway 85 from RP 120.3 to the Long X Bridge. The project consists of widening the roadway to four-lanes throughout the project corridor. A Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision (FEIS/ROD) was completed in February 2019 that analyzed different alternatives and feasibility of widening the highway in this area. Construction activities are anticipated to be completed during two construction seasons.
In accordance with 23 CFR 774.5, NDDOT is soliciting comments on the effects of this project on lands owned by the US Forest Service (USFS) within Management Area 3.51-Bighorn Sheep Habitat, which is approximately 0.2 miles south of the Long X Bridge. NDDOT proposes to obtain two permanent easements (0.58 acres) from the USFS. Coordination has been completed with the USFS to ensure that impacts were minimized, and the work would not conflict with guidance and standards of the USFS’ Land and Resource Management Plan.
The FHWA has made a preliminary determination that the proposed action within the Management Area 3.51 is a Section 4(f) de minimis action in accordance with 23 CFR 774.5, conditioned on public review and comment. A de minimis finding may be made when uses of Section 4(f) land will have no adverse effect on the protected resources.
Information regarding the alternatives, impact and avoidance, minimization, mitigation, or enhancement measures is available at:
- NDDOT Website: www.dot.nd.gov/highway-85-reconstruction-de-minimis
- NDDOT Williston District Office, 605 Dakota Parkway West Williston, ND 58801-4282
Comments must be submitted on or before August 8, 2024, to Garrett Hartl, NDDOT Design Division, Technical Contact, 608 E. Boulevard Ave. Bismarck, ND 58505 or ghartl@nd.gov. Comments will become part of the official record and will be considered when making future project related decisions.