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Feature Stories (Vol. 110 No. 12--3/19/2008)

Canadian group initiates push for four-laning U.S. 52

By Caroline Downs

Talk about the possibility of expanding U.S. Highway 52 from two lanes to four lanes highlighted the Kenmare Community Development Corporation’s (KCDC) annual meeting Monday night.

Dylan Clarke of Weyburn, Sask., and manager of the South East Regional Economic Development Authority, spoke about efforts north of the border to develop a joint project between the United States and Canada to four-lane or "twin" U.S. Highway 52 in North Dakota and Provincial Highways 6 and 39 in Saskatchewan. The result would create a travel corridor from Prince Albert through Saskatoon, Regina, and Estevan, crossing into North Dakota at Portal and continuing through Bowbells, Kenmare, Donnybrook, Carpio and Foxholm to Minot.

"This idea was born from our economic development organization, based on concerns about safety on our stretch of the highway," Clarke said. "But the more we’ve looked into it, we’ve seen huge opportunities for the communities. We essentially want to create a pipeline from the U.S. into Canada. If we can capture some of that traffic and encourage people to use that route, it will benefit everyone tremendously."

The vision of the Soo Line Highway Corridor Association, which was incorporated nearly a year ago, is to develop this stretch of four-lane road as the preferred choice for tourists and freight transporters traveling through North Dakota, Saskatchewan and Alberta. The project would involve 155 miles of highway on the Canadian side to be "twinned," at an estimated cost of $1.6 million per mile or $248 million total. On the North Dakota side, only an 80-mile stretch from Portal to Brooks Ranch would need to be expanded to four lanes, at an estimated cost of $128 million.

Clarke’s presentation included a number of benefits related to safety, economic, tourism and marketing issues. "With the strength of the Canadian dollar, visitors to North Dakota are increasing dramatically," he said. "Communities along Highway 52 stand to gain tremendously by improving access. Portal is by far the busiest crossing from Alberta to Emerson/Pembina."

He presented evidence suggesting the diagonal highway system would offer a more direct route to link northern Saskatchewan and all of western Canada directly to Minot and Bismarck, then to Interstate 94 in the U.S. Given that 75 percent of Saskatchewan’s annual $10.4 billion in trade with the U.S. is hauled by truck, the impact could be significant for the small communities along the proposed corridor. "Any time you can generate better access to and from your markets, it’s going to improve your business," he said.

Clarke also addressed current and projected oil activity in western North Dakota. "You’re poised to see a lot of development in the oil industry in the coming years," he said, adding that increased oilfield traffic is a safety concern in both countries. "It seems like every other vehicle on the road is a truck now."

KCDC members and guests at the meeting questioned Clarke on several matters. Terry Froseth asked if Canadian highways were built to the same standards as U.S. highways.

Clarke smiled. "No, yours are better," he said, "and those are issues being discussed with this project."

Froseth also asked about the possibility of expanding U.S. 52 to four lanes given the existing easements for the two lane highway. Clarke admitted he didn’t have the information for the North Dakota stretch of the road, but that the matter would have to be addressed in Canada, too.

Roger Ness was curious about a timetable for the project. "Realistically, we’d like a commitment to start south of Regina within three years," Clarke said, "and finish within the next five to ten years." He noted, however, that as a result of recent fatal crashes on the roads in question in Saskatchewan, the Minister of Highways had indicated a preference to begin the project within the next one to two years.

With funding as an obvious barrier, Steve Pederson of Minot referred to financial assistance provided by the City of Minot and the U.S. government for the construction of the Rafferty and Alameda reservoirs in southern Saskatchewan. "What I would suggest is to do something similar and see how they can come to the table and help with financial support for this on the U.S. side," he said.

"We would obviously lobby our government to look at all those options, too," Clarke said.

Carpio mayor Marvin Baker asked about the project’s future if the value of the Canadian dollar dropped. Clarke maintained the potential decrease in tourist traffic in that situation would be balanced by an increase in exports, and the need for the "twinned" route would still be necessary.

Baker also mentioned he had conducted an informal poll with residents of communities along U.S. 52 and found most of them to be in favor of the proposal. "Those who aren’t, are in the Department of Transportation, and it’s because of the funding issue," he said. "But I have spoken to people in the highway departments on both sides, and they want to talk to each other."

G.W. Patterson of Carpio expressed his concern about safety, given the increased truck traffic a four-lane highway would bring to the area. He suggested routing the freightliners through Lignite on a new toll road built south to U.S. Highway 2.

Getting politicians and state, provincial and federal officials in both countries involved and talking to each other was another topic raised during the discussion. "We have been lobbying for the project in Saskatchewan," Clarke said, who added that the new government in Saskatchewan favored the idea so far. "We would like to see similar efforts in North Dakota. Naturally, the project would work from Regina south. Obviously, if your government is onside, it’ll be an easier sell for us."

Carroll Erickson, a Ward County Commissioner, said progress on the Saskatchewan side might help efforts in North Dakota. "If Canada would four-lane (the highway) to the border, that would put tremendous pressure on North Dakota to finish the project," he said.

Clarke acknowledged some staff members of the province’s highway department resisted the project, while others encouraged it. "We’re going right to the politicians," he said, "and the local politicians see the merit to this."

Rep. Froseth drafts
supporting legislation
Following Clarke’s presentation, District 6 Representative Glen Froseth announced he had taken early measures to support the proposed Soo Line Highway Corridor and drafted legislation to advance the project on the North Dakota side.

The bill calls for the director of the department of transportation to apply for environmental clearance and include the construction of four lanes on U.S. Highway 52 from the junction of U.S. 2 and 52 to Portal as part of the statewide strategic transportation plan.

"That’s the first step," Froseth said, referring to the clearance. "Second would be the easements, and third would be placement on the strategic plan." He explained that projects currently listed on the strategic transportation plan would absorb most of the federal and state highway construction funds for the next 10 years.

He also noted North Dakota’s record for matching federal highway money. "All our road building hinges on how much money we get from the federal government," he said. "But as long as I’ve been in the legislature, the state has matched every dollar from the federal government. We haven’t left any sitting on the table."

According to Froseth, the bill can be pre-filed and reviewed by the Interim Transportation Committee now, or he could hold it until the next legislative assembly convenes in January 2009. "It’s an item in the tool chest we can take a look at between now and January 1st," he said. "If the wishes of the communities involved are that we pursue this project, I’ll put this in."