This is PROPOSED, and not a done deal......
Sadly they already have certain parts of this project out for RFP which means they are moving forward. Unless they get major major backlash, we'll have a round about on highway 83.........I hope people are paying attention. It's ridiculous they held the meeting in Max to start with. There was no doubt that was done purposeful to detour attendance. It should've been in Minot, and frankly they should have another in Bismarck.
Also, every public input meeting I've ever been part of provides options or alternatives. There were not any other options or alternatives presented. The meeting in Max was more of a public information meeting, not a public input meeting.
I personally think it's an absolute abomination, knee jerk reaction by the NDDOT, and a terrible idea. I'd rather see them force traffic into right hand movements only with J turns a mile down the road before this ridiculousness and I don't think that's a good idea either. Slowing speed down works in towns when you have structures and other things close to the road. it becomes a natural comfort level barrier. When you don't, traffic will move at whatever speed they are comfortable driving. It's called the rule of 85.
You can set any damn arbitrary speed limit you want, but if it is or isn't comfortable to drive that speed, traffic will not drive at that posted speed. For instance, you could set the speed limit at 75 down Broadway in Minot, 85% of the traffic will drive with 10 mph of what a comfortable speed is, traffic congestion dependent which is probably between 30-40 mph. this is based on reaction times, sight distances, roadway design and a number of other factors. you could set highway 83 at 25 mph from minot to bismarck, without continual enforcement, no one would follow it.
Bottom line, they are making a big part of this design decision based on cost while the State has full coffers. On top of that, with this being a saftey improvemnt, I believe the state will get federal funding of up to 90%. This intersection was #1 on the states saftey improvement list and this is what they came up with, pretty unbelievable. The only reason an overpass isn't being looked at is cost, everyone recognizes that's the proper and most effective solution. of course the cost is high becuase there are a number of diffuculties that would need to be handled to construct an overpass. most of it being redtape.......................