Prepare for the most disruptive summer ever!  But, is there still time to actually get us better prepared?

Maybe...

But only McKenzie Drive can save the good citizens of South Mandan from a hellishly  long work commute.

I'll get back to that- first off...THEY'RE GONNA RIP UP THE STRIP!

Yup, every last bit of it.  But to credit the North Dakota Department of Transportation, they have been trying to explain it to us for years.  Here's a guilty confession of mine, I'm really one of those "Let's cross that bridge when we get to it" kinda fella. The problem is we're lacking a certain bridge in Mandan.

I'll get back to that- first off here's a map from the NDDOT!

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You'll find a comprehensive look at all the PDF files, Frequently Asked Questions, handouts, updates, and everything that's going to be going into this project at this NDDOT link.   They've been preparing the region for the upcoming armageddon since September of 2019.  You've already seen crews out surveying The Strip and the businesses that are all along it. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2022.

So why can't they just patch and seal the highway as it is now?  Is a monstrously disruptive year-long project really necessary?

You'll find all the answers to your questions right here on the City of Mandan website.

My dad was a lifelong project manager for the North Dakota Highway Department, so I was raised to understand that roads need repair and those repairs can raise tempers of all that are affected.  My dad liked nothing more than working on a highway out on the high prairie, instead of being stuck in the middle of a city listening to the complaints of all the businesses whose bottom lines are getting busted in a big way.   Can't do much about that- roads need fixin'.

What could ease some of the pain? At least for folks trying to get from point A to point B?  That brings us back to...

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Here's a story I wrote in May of 2020.  It's probably easier to click on the link and give it a quick read.  I'll just wait until you come back.

Told you it was a quick read.

Wouldn't it be so much easier if McKenzie Drive actually crossed the Heart River and connected to Highway 1806?  I've been running off my mouth about that for decades! I'm sure it's a little late now, but sure would be nice to have an alternate route when they start to rip up The Strip.


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