Central ND News

The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) is inviting public input as it develops two new transportation plans aimed at improving mobility across the state. The Statewide Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan and the first North Dakota Intercity Bus Plan are designed to identify key transportation needs, particularly for older adults, people with disabilities, and rural residents.

According to NDDOT transit program manager Becky Hanson, community members can participate in one of eight regional workshops to share their perspectives. “We invite you to participate in one of eight regional workshops, where you can share your insights and priorities,” said Hanson. “The workshop will focus on mobility challenges for people in your region, gaps in service, challenges to coordination, actions that could be implemented by local agencies and organizations within the region, and the needs for intercity services or connections to more distant places.”

Each workshop will feature a presentation about the study’s goals followed by a facilitated discussion. Both in-person and online participation options are available.

Workshop sessions are scheduled throughout October and early November at various locations including Valley City, Grand Forks, Devils Lake, Dickinson, Bismarck, Fargo, Minot, and Williston.

Hanson emphasized the importance of community involvement: “Your involvement is essential to ensure these plans reflect the needs of communities across North Dakota. Please join us at the workshop most relevant to your service area and feel free to share this invitation with others who care about transportation in our state.”

Feedback from these sessions will help NDDOT assess current transportation services and identify opportunities for improvement such as strengthening long-distance connections and evaluating service effectiveness. The process also fulfills federal planning requirements necessary for North Dakota to access funding that supports statewide transportation services.

Further information about the project is available at www.dot.nd.gov/transit-coordination-and-intercity-bus.

NDDOT has stated it will consider all requests for reasonable accommodations related to accessibility or language interpretation for participants with disabilities or those needing translation services.