Bismarck and Mandan shared-use path projects were selected for federal Transportation Enhancement funds, but Morton's request was overlooked.

Ben Kubischta, representing the North Dakota Department of Transportation, reported the results of the Director's Task Force urban and rural project selections for 2008 at Tuesday's Metropolitan Planning Organization meeting.

Mandan's Old Red Trail shared-use path, phase II, ranked second out of 14 urban projects, of which five were selected for funding. The project provides the path connecting link from Collins Avenue east to the Mandan Avenue Interchange. The project is estimated at $354,439, and federal funding will provide $284,000 of the total. It was the largest amount awarded any of the projects, rural or urban.

Bismarck requested funding for a shared-use path running west from Washington Street along Burleigh Avenue and then north from Burleigh to London Avenue along Tavis Road. Kubischta explained that the task force funded only the portion along Burleigh Avenue since the north-south path is only a quarter-mile from Washington Street which has an existing path.

"The task force felt that as a transportation facility, the Burleigh and Washington provided the necessary connection," Kubischta said. "The money awarded Bismarck is just for the portion along Burleigh."

Bismarck's project ranked third on the urban list and received $200,000. Total project cost is estimated at $406,978.

Other urban projects receiving funding were: Wahpeton's 11th Street path $90,000; Williston's Amtrak Depot ADA accessibility project $58,000; and Minot's 21st Avenue NW path $256,000.

Morton's project, phase III, of the N.D. 1806 path that will eventually lead to Harmon Lake, finished seventh out of 12 applications in which only the top five received funds. Estimated construction cost is $202,772.

Morton County Commissioner Matt Erhardt asked Kubischta whether there was anything else that could have been added to the application to help the funding request. Kubischta replied that he didn't think so. He said since Morton had received funding for the first two phases of the path the past two years hurt its chances for a third consecutive grant. Erhardt said the county will continue to apply for funds.

Rural projects receiving funding were: Hettinger's (Adams County) Mirror Lake path $64,000; Velva's (McHenry County) phase I path $65,000; Watford City's (McKenzie) city bike path $138,000; Fairview Bridge (McKenzie) pedestrian access from monuments to top of railroad grade $12,800; and St. Michael's (Spirit Lake Nation) share use path $66,000.

Since the transportation enhancement funding process began in 2004, rural funds have averaged 16 applications a year with $1.8 million in requests. Urban projects average 16 applications with requests averaging $2.3 million.

The Director's Task Force is a 10-member organization with five representatives from state departments, including NDDOT, tourism-commerce, Indian Affairs, state parks and State Historical Society. The other five members represent counties with a population under 5,000, counties more than 5,000, cities more than 5,000, cities under 5,000 and MPOs.

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