North Dakota Continues Highway 85 Expansion Project

Construction crews are working to widen a major North Dakota thoroughfare to four lanes by late 2028.

Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Car Types

A yellow industrial scraper rests on a graded dirt embankment in the vast North Dakota landscape. — The North Dakota Department of Transportation is undertaking an expansion of Highway 85, using heavy machinery to stabilize terrain and widen the route. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should your local government prioritize large-scale highway expansion projects to improve safety and economic growth?

The North Dakota Department of Transportation is currently managing two major construction projects on Highway 85. These efforts aim to stabilize the terrain and expand the road to four lanes to accommodate significant traffic flow.

Why it matters

The expansion is vital for managing the volume of daily commuters and freight on Highway 85. Stabilizing the ground is also essential for ensuring the long-term safety and viability of the route by preventing landslides.

The current 5.5-mile construction stretch costs over $83 million, while a separate 12.5-mile expansion ending at Highway 200 totals over $61 million. Crews are currently moving 2.6 million cubic yards of dirt to stabilize the highway foundation.

The players

North Dakota Department of Transportation

This state government agency is responsible for the planning, construction, and maintenance of the state's public transportation infrastructure.

The details

Crews are actively working to stabilize the landscape by moving 2.6 million cubic yards of dirt from higher elevations to the bottom of the road. This process utilizes 14 off-road trucks and 6 scrapers to build a secure structure that prevents future landslides.

A 2022 traffic study recorded over 4,600 daily vehicles on Highway 85.
The 5.5-mile construction stretch is expected to be finished by October 2028.

Roadmap

This expansion project follows the pattern set by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in prioritizing state-level capacity upgrades. The initiative reflects a broader trend among state agencies to modernize aging highway infrastructure to support increased commercial and local transit needs.

Commuters should anticipate ongoing work zones and potential traffic shifts along the 5.5-mile and 12.5-mile stretches during construction. These improvements are designed to eventually reduce congestion and increase safety for all motorists traveling on the corridor.

The takeaway

Large-scale road projects like this require significant earthwork to ensure road safety against environmental hazards like landslides. Drivers should stay alert for construction equipment and potential route changes as these projects progress toward their 2028 completion target.