BISMARCK, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) has been awarded a $20 million grant through the federal Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program. The funding will be used to enhance the US 52 route, focusing on safety improvements and boosting the efficiency of both passenger and freight transportation across the state.

The project includes the rehabilitation of approximately 45 miles of asphalt pavement between Drake and Fessenden, the consolidation of access points at the intersection of US 52 and North Dakota Highway 3 in Harvey, and the addition of acceleration and deceleration lanes at railroad crossings. Turn lanes will also be added at various intersections from south of Portal to Carrington.

U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, praised the grant’s impact. “Highway 52 is an essential artery for the flow of many of our goods getting to markets,” a media release states. “This grant will help expand this important transportation corridor while improving safety for both producers and the traveling public.”

Earlier this year, North Dakota’s congressional delegation sent a letter in support of NDDOT’s grant application. Cramer played a key role in securing North Dakota’s eligibility for the grant, leading an amendment to the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act in 2021, which required the Secretary of Transportation to prioritize states that had not previously received an INFRA grant. North Dakota received its first grant under this program in 2021, and this is the state’s second award since the amendment’s passage.

The improvements to US 52 are expected to enhance the safety and reliability of a critical transportation route that supports North Dakota’s agricultural and energy industries.