WATFORD CITY (KXNET) — A Highway Safety Corridor project on U.S. Highway 85 from Belfield to Watford City is now complete, according to the North Dakota Department of Transportation.
The 70-mile stretch of highway now includes additional signage indicating reduced speed, no-passing zones, information about road conditions, and reminders to buckle up, drive sober, and distraction-free. In addition to these signs, pavement markings will be more visible, especially in dark or wet conditions.
Three other sections of North Dakota highways are designated as Safety Corridors: Highway 85 from Watford City to Highway 68; Highway 52 from Brooks Junction to Velva; and Highway 83 from Bismarck to Washburn.
Since being introduced in 2019, data from these North Dakota corridors indicate:
- Total crashes in three corridors since installation have decreased by approximately 30%.
- Crash rates in all three corridors have decreased.
- Total crashes involving speed decreased by approximately 50% in all three corridors.
Safety Corridors are part of the state’s Vision Zero strategy to eliminate motor vehicle crash fatalities and serious injuries on North Dakota roads.