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N.D. (NewsDakota.com) Gov. Jack Dalrymple says that spending .5 billion on state roads and highways will help with the hammering of traffic brought on by oil and gas production in western North Dakota.

Dalrymple on Monday proposed to spend the money during the 2013-15 biennium. The governor calls it an “unprecedented investment.”

The proposal would mean the state spends $1 billion more on roads and infrastructure next biennium compared with the current one. The money would come from a mix of state and federal funds, and tax revenue from the oil and gas industry.

Some 2-lane highways would be converted to 4-lane roads, bypasses would be built and additional maintenance projects are part of Dalrymple’s proposal.

Dalrymple says the state needs to invest in infrastructure more than ever in the coming two years.  Dalrymple’s challenger in the upcoming race for governor, Senate Minority Leader Ryan Taylor, says this investment was needed a year ago.