The Official Newspaper for Foster County
The Official Newspaper for Foster County
Have you ever heard of Interstate 27? It’s a freeway that currently runs north/south entirely in the state of Texas, from Amarillo to Lubbock.
The length of 1-27 is 124 miles, but is about to change in a big way.
An number of media, especially those in Bismarck, have been reporting that I-27 will be running through western North Dakota, from Bowman in the south, to Plentywood, Mont., in the north. In effect, U.S. Highway 85 is going to become I-27.
It will also run through western South Dakota and points south that will connect Rapid City, Scottsbluff, Neb., Denver and Limon, Colo., then onto Amarillo and points south taking it to the border at Laredo.
Although the interstate system ends at the Canadian and Mexican borders, it will directly connect Monterrey, Mexico, southwest of Laredo to Regina and Saskatoon in Saskatchewan, north of Plentywood.
More specifically, I-27 will cross the South Dakota state line south of Bowman and take you to Spearfish and on to Rapid City.
In the northwest, I-27 will turn west at Williston, and a section of U.S. Highway 2 will become I-27, crossing the Montana state line and taking you to Culbertson. From there, Montana Highway 16 will become I-27, taking you through Plentywood north to the port of Raymond and onto Saskatchewan Provincial Highway 6 to Regina.
To put this into perspective, Congress in 2022, appropriated funding for this project, but there is no specific timeline for its completion. KFYR-TV has reported North Dakota has received a $55 million federal grant toward the proejct and is seeking more funding.
I wonder how many people could see this coming? It started when U.S. 85 was four-laned from Williston to Watford City, with a second leg of that construction from Watford City to the Long X Bridge, approximately 15 miles south of Watford City.
Two things are mostly likely going to happen when this expanded highway is built. Because the Trans Canada Highway runs through Regina, most cargo from western Canada going south, especially into Colorado and Texas, will be seen on this highway.
Because Raymond/Regway, Saskatchewan is a 24-hour port of entry, the traffic should ease up at Sweet-grass, Mont., to the west and Portal to the east.
Those of us who live along U.S. Highway 52 are becoming concerned about the amount of semi-trailer traffic from western Canada crossing the border at Portal and taking U.S. 52 to U.S. 2 west of Minot. U.S. 52 is considered a “super 2” with passing lanes, while I-27 will be a freeway with higher travel speeds and easier on/off access.
Following a reconstruction of Saskatchewan Provincial Highway 39 from south of Regina to the border, truck traffic has increased dramatically on U.S. 52. Theoretically, I-27 will re-route some of that traffic.
West of Raymond, there is a 24-hour port of entry at Sweetgrass, Mont.,/Coutts, Alberta. Anyone crossing the border at Coutts, is on Interstate 15, which is basically a straight connection between Salt Lake City and Calgary.
Traffic will probably increase on I-15 somewhat, but the effect won’t be as dramatic as it will be on U.S. 52 northwest of Minot.
Those of us who spent time on a committee to get U.S. 52 four-laned, but compromised on the super 2 concept, would still like to see a freeway between Minot and Regina. With a slightly stronger Canadian dollar, we’re seeing more passenger cars from Saskatchewan and Alberta on U.S. 52 and in Minot.
But again, I-27 will be an acceptable compromise, as long as truck traffic becomes lighter on U.S. 52. Because U.S. 52 is mostly 2-lane, there are times traffic becomes horrendous between Kenmare and U.S. 2. Let’s hope that changes.
(Marvin Baker is a news writer for the Kenmare News and formerly Foster County Independent.)
