McLean County road issue is settled
By STU MERRY, BHG News Service
Fences were mended this past week as representatives of Northern Improvement Company of Bismarck sat across the table from McLean County Commissioners to iron out what Northern Improvement officials said was a case of discrimination. At the Oct. 21 commission meeting, Northern Improvement representatives met with commissioners to request a permit to change a haul road, McLean County 22 in far southeast McLean County. The County Planning and Zoning Commission had denied the request prior to the meeting citing a lack of information. Commission members concurred, tabling the matter until more information was at hand. Having that information, and in discussion with Northern Improvement representatives Nov. 5, the board gave the go-ahead to make the change in the route. Explaining the situation, county officials said the original haul road route approved with a conditional use permit was to go south from the pit on a section line road to County Road 27 then to the junction of N. D. 1804 and U. S. Highway 83. Trucks would travel on gravel roads until reaching Highway 83. The change was requested by Northern Improvement to travel to the paved County Road 22 then to N. D. Highway 41 and onto Highway 83. County officials had maintained that there were safety concerns with traffic in the new requested route.
