U.S. Route 85 (North Dakota)

U.S. Route 85 (North Dakota) is the portion of the United States Numbered Highway System corridor that traverses central and northwestern North Dakota, linking the North Dakota–South Dakota border, the state capital region near Bismarck, federal installations, and oil-producing fields around Williston. The highway serves civil, industrial, and intermodal users, interfacing with Interstate 94, U.S. Route 2, and state maintenances while passing near reservations, national wildlife areas, and historic trails.

Route description

U.S. Route 85 enters North Dakota from South Dakota and proceeds northwest through Fort Yates in proximity to the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, skirting the Missouri River and intersecting ND 24 near Fort Stevenson State Park and Lake Sakakawea. Northward the route passes east of Bismarck Municipal Airport, connects with Interstate 94 and U.S. Route 83 near Bismarck, and continues past Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park toward New Salem and Hazen. Through McLean County US 85 follows alignments that parallel the Bakken formation edge, intersects U.S. Route 2 at Minot-region approaches, and moves north to serve Ward County communities before reaching the oil and logistics hub of Williston. Along its course the highway abuts Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, industrial terminals, Missouri River, and federal resource areas-linked corridors, providing connections to railheads and energy service centers.

History

The corridor now designated as US 85 has roots in early 20th-century auto trails and wagon roads associated with western migration routes and steamboat-connected towns on the Missouri River, evolving through New Deal-era road-building projects and postwar federal highway expansions tied to the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. Routing decisions reflected negotiations with tribal governments such as the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the Three Affiliated Tribes, and construction phases intersected with projects overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during reservoir construction at Garrison Dam and Fort Berthold. Cold War logistics and oilfield development, including activities by companies such as ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Marathon Oil, and Whiting Petroleum, spurred pavement upgrades and safety improvements in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Energy booms in the Bakken formation and market shifts influenced traffic volumes, prompting collaboration between the North Dakota Department of Transportation, regional planning organizations, and federal agencies to accommodate increased heavy truck traffic, hazardous-material routing, and intermodal transfers.

Major intersections

Major junctions along US 85 in North Dakota include connections with ND 24 near Fort Yates; intersection with Interstate 94 and U.S. Route 83 at the Bismarck area; links to ND 200 and ND 23 serving central plains towns; crossings with U.S. Route 2 near northern transport corridors; and the terminus area in the Williston metropolitan zone where state routes and frontage roads converge. These intersections connect US 85 to freight corridors serving terminals associated with companies like BNSF Railway and CPKC as well as to regional airports including Bismarck Municipal Airport and Williston Basin International Airport.

Future and planned improvements

Planned improvements have been driven by increased freight demand from oil and gas operations and involve projects by the North Dakota Department of Transportation, federal funding sources, and public–private partnerships. Proposed work includes widening segments to add passing lanes, reconstructing bridges over tributaries to the Missouri River, installing safety-focused medians and rumble strips, and developing truck bypasses to relieve traffic in Williston and Watford City with coordination from entities such as the Federal Highway Administration and regional economic development councils. Environmental reviews engage the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for impacts near wildlife refuges and mitigation planning adjacent to the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. Long-range plans consider multimodal freight terminals linked to Interstate 94 and extensions to improve resilience against winter storms monitored by the National Weather Service.

Special routes and designations

Certain segments of the US 85 corridor carry honorary and functional designations recognizing regional history and economic roles. Portions near tribal capitals intersect interpretive sites tied to the Lewis and Clark Expedition and memorials related to indigenous leaders, while commercial truck routes are designated for heavy-haul traffic supporting operators like TransCanada-adjacent pipelines and energy service contractors. Safety-designated corridors receive federal grants under programs administered by the United States Department of Transportation and are part of statewide freight strategies coordinated with the Midwest Governors Association and local chambers of commerce. Surface sections have occasionally been designated as part of emergency detour networks coordinated with North Dakota Homeland Security and Emergency Management during floods and severe weather events.

Category:U.S. Highways in North Dakota