Long-awaited Theodore Roosevelt Expressway expansion set for fall bidding
M.K. French
Farmer Staff Writer
After years of advocacy and legislative battles, a critical 19.5-mile stretch of the Theodore Roosevelt Expressway (Highway 85) south of the Long X Bridge is slated for construction, with bidding expected this fall and ground-breaking in 2026.
Cal Klewin, Executive Director of the project, delivered the highly anticipated update to the McKenzie County Board of Commissioners on July 15, highlighting a significant win for regional safety and commerce.
“We were very successful in the North Dakota Legislature of getting $155 million to match the $55 million federal grant,” Klewin announced, explaining that these funds will enable the expansion of 19.5 miles from the Long X Bridge to Highway 200. This development is particularly crucial as it includes a notoriously dangerous section of the highway that some legislators had considered excluding.
Klewin recounted the intense lobbying efforts, stating, “I was out there the last seven days of that legislative session with Senator Becadal and sitting with a lot of the House members. There was a discussion even on the Senate side to leave that, and we will never get that done if that happens.” He underscored the gravity of the decision, adding, “That’s where everybody’s getting killed. I don’t even know why it was brought up.”
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