County gets $3.6 million in Surge funds for roads
By Suzanne Werre and Stu Merry
BHG News
The county has been allocated $3.6 million from the recently passed Surge bill (SB 2103) in the legislature, which is good, because there are plenty of roads that are in need of repair.
It was noted that the Surge funds can only be used for roads that are part of the County Major Collector (CMC) system.
Surge funding figures are population based. The prime purpose of the funds is for shovel-ready projects or infrastructure. The bill invests $1.1 billion into infrastructure throughout the state; $40 million is going to the 10 largest oil producing counties, $172 million to the four largest cities affected by the influx of oil activity, $100 million to the rest of the cities in that area and $10 million to fringe areas which the western part of McLean County is part.
McLean County ranks 14th in oil production in N.D., $112 million will go to the rest of the counties in the state, and $16 million for townships in the rest of the state.
Other communities receiving Surge funds include Coleharbor, Max, Riverdale, Underwood and Washburn. Not receiving any funds are Benedict, Butte, Mercer, Ruso, Turtle Lake and Wilton.
Wold Engineering representatives Ron Wagner and Doug Rivinius presented plans for projects that could be funded with the Surge funds, including an area of County Road 2 located five-and-a-half miles south of Ryder. The project would include spot subgrade repairs and aggregate surfacing for 11 miles at a cost of $825,000. It would tie into North Dakota State Highway 37/1804 to the east end, where it ties into Highway 28.
