The Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Board chose a northern bridge corridor route at its Monday meeting as Bismarck and Mandan begin to look 25 to 40 years down the road at the future growth of the communities.

On a 3-2 vote, the board approved a motion by Bismarck Mayor John Warford to select the southern-most route, referred to as Alternative D, which is longer and more expensive than the northern proposal but has less of an impact on existing development. The motion included specific route alternatives and options recommended by the MPO Technical Advisory Committee as relayed by transportation planner Steve Saunders.

MPO Chairman, Burleigh County Commissioner Claus Lembke, originally voted in favor of the motion, but rescinded his vote in opposition to Warford's insistence for the need of 200 feet of right of way for the corridor route, which could someday bridge Mandan and Bismarck farther to the north as future development in that area necessitates. Lembke said he feels the 200 feet is better suited for an interstate type of road, and 100 to 120 feet will better meet the needs of what he terms a "neighborhood bridge."

Morton County Commissioner Matt Erhardt also apparently voted no on the motion, favoring a "do nothing" approach as recommended by the Morton County Commission. The city commissions of Bismarck and Mandan approved Alternative D, while the Burleigh County Commission couldn't come to a consensus on a recommendation. The votes are weighted by population with Bismarck and Mandan accounting for six of the nine. Lincoln City Commissioner Glenn Christmann also voted in favor of the southern route.

Mandan Mayor Ken LaMont told MPO members a developer has purchased about 300 acres of land in the vicinity of the proposed southern route, and he asked the board to adopt recommendation Alternative D1 by the technical committee so planning could start. Saunders explained that D1, on the west side of the Missouri River, follows rougher terrain than D2, but will work better for developers.

According to Saunders, the individual jurisdictions - Mandan, Bismarck, Morton and Burleigh - will be responsible for their portions of preserving areas of the corridor route. Total cost of the southern route is estimated at $74 million, but it will be phased in as growth in the area demands.

"The first thing the jurisdictions will start doing is protecting the route with plats. They will tell developers where development is allowed and areas they should forget because of the corridor," Saunders says.

In other activity the MPO Policy Board:

* Received reports on urban road projects by Bismarck City Engineer Mel Bullinger and Mandan City Engineer Tom Little.

Bullinger said that the Memorial Bridge project, with bid opening slated next year and construction in 2006, will take a great deal of money and is the only major urban project scheduled during that time. In 2007, a reconstruction of Century Avenue from 19th Street to Nebraska Drive is planned at an estimated cost of $9 million. Also in 2007, a bike trail will be extended from United Tribes to the University of May. In 2008, that construction of Centennial Road from Trenton Drive to Jericho Road is proposed.

In 2008, Mandan is looking at reconstruction of Mandan Avenue from Main Street to Interstate-94. In conjunction with this project, Division Street from Mandan Avenue to Missouri Drive will be reconstructed, Little told the board. In 2009, reconstruction of Division Street west is being considered and also the extension of 19th Street from Highway 1806 west to Highway 6. The city won't do both projects, but will pick one depending on the site of the new junior high school.

* Heard a report on the Highway 83 Corridor Study from URS engineer Bill Troe. The study is considering recommended land use for an area from Washington Street to Centennial Road along the Highway 83 Corridor. The board said the study should include the land all the way to River Road and asked Troe to come back with a recommendation at the next MPO meeting on Jan. 18.

* Approved a motion to go forward with a contract with URS on a study of the Expressway corridor. The corridor extends from Rosser Avenue in Bismarck to the interstate exchange in Mandan. Cost of the contract is $284,830.

(Reach reporter Gordon Weixel at 250-8255 or gordon.weixel@bismarcktribune.com.)