Next year is shaping up to be another busy one for the Ward County Highway Department, County Engineer Dana Larsen told the Ward County Commission Tuesday, Dec. 2, in presenting the county’s 2026-27 Transportation Improvement Plan.

“Last year was probably one of our busiest we’ve had since the flood recovery. And this one will be just as busy,” he said of the upcoming construction season.

Larsen said the County Roads 14 and 17 intersection roundabout has been in the design phase. Located west of the hospital in Minot, the intersection which is scheduled for construction in 2027.

Another upcoming project is replacement of two culverts on Livingston Coulee, impacting CR 12, northeast of the state fairgrounds in Minot. The work will shut down the roadway for a couple months. However, Larsen noted, his department is looking into an option to place a culvert lining instead. Imported liners no longer are available, so it is a matter of whether a U.S.-based company starts manufacturing, he said.

“It’s almost as expensive, but it wouldn’t require shutting down the roadway, and it’s a fairly busy roadway,” Larsen said.

The county also continues to make progress in replacing township bridges that carry load restrictions below 20 tons. Next on the list for 2026 is a bridge southwest of Burlington and one north of the Minot’s Northeast Bypass (55th Street) on Livingston Coulee.

“I think we’ve replaced about 10 of these bridges so far. These would be the last two,” Larsen said. The bridges are being replaced with box culverts.

Other projects in the transportation plan include paving of CR 15, north of Burlington, to CR 8. Larsen said this was a project initially proposed a number of years ago but halted when the county commission stopped new paving projects. With the availability of county sales tax and state funding, projects on hold for some time now are coming to fruition, he said.

Seal coating is scheduled on new pavement placed this year on CR 8, 11 and a portion of CR 14, as well as on 72nd Street and part of 37th Avenue Southeast, south of U.S. Highway 2, east of Minot.

Proposed work also includes crack repair on some roads in the area between Minot and Burlington.

The plan includes widening by 8 to 9 feet on both sides of CR 12 from 55th Street to the edge of Surrey. One lane is expected to remain open during widening construction, with flaggers present, Larsen said. The longer term plan with CR 12 after additional improvements are completed in the future is to provide a path for bicycles, he said.

Widening is planned on CR 14 from the proposed roundabout at CR 14 and 17 for about 4 miles around the curve and west. It would include about 1.5 miles on CR 17 if right of way can be obtained, Larsen said. There’s also an intersection along the curve on CR 14 that is being considered for reconfiguration to make it safer, he said.

Design work for the anticipated 2027 reconstruction of CR 23, south of Minot, has started with surveys and environment work. Design work will continue into 2026, followed by right of way acquisition, possibly starting next spring. Larsen said he anticipates a public meeting on the proposed project this winter.

In addition, there will be graveling, patching and mill and overlay projects around the county next year.

The commission voted unanimously to approve the transportation plan.