Flex Funds Boost Statewide Roadway & Bridge Improvements

MANDAN, N.D. (KFYR) - During this year's legislative session in the spring, the North Dakota Department of Transportation (ND DOT) obtained more than $115 million in financial support to enhance transportation infrastructure throughout the state. This funds will be distributed to townships, counties, and municipalities that do not rely heavily on oil production.

The DOT initiative is referred to as the Flex Fund. Although it may appear unusual within our state, all counties with the exception of four located in northwestern North Dakota have been classified as non-oil-producing areas. Should your application be selected, the grant money needs to be allocated towards infrastructure improvements such as roads and bridges.

The final Flex Fund initiative received more than 260 submissions and $400 million worth of proposed projects throughout North Dakota.

The Department of Transportation was able to choose initiatives for grant funding only up to their $80 million cap.

The sum this year has gone beyond $115 million. That figure has now exceeded $115 million this year. This year, the total has crossed $115 million. The amount for this year has risen past $115 million. So far this year, the number has broken through $115 million.

A city considering participation is Mandan, where the neighborhood located north of downtown urgently requires road repairs.

"We've been working on, somewhat, project ideas over the past few years. The ones we refer to as the Mandan Proper projects, located just north of downtown, we believe these would be viable since they involve significant subterranean facilities related to road renovation," stated Mandan City Engineer Jarek Wigness.

With cities adapting to a property tax limit, every opportunity to obtain grant money becomes an important effort.

"We aren't lacking in projects. Therefore, the more funds we secure, the more initiatives we can undertake, which benefits the city of Mandan even further," stated Wigness.

Should your application not be chosen in this cycle, the DOT will contact you to offer assistance for the following funding round.

"Applications that weren't chosen during the previous two years, we contacted all those agencies and asked, 'What assistance do you require to bring this application up to the new standards?'” said Brandon Beise, director of the rural programs at the North Dakota Department of Transportation.

If chosen, initiatives must be finished within two years.

Applications for the Flex Fund are now available and must be submitted by September 19. You can find additional details on the DOT site .