The 71st Avenue and Centennial corridor study being conducted by URS Corporation for the Metropolitan Planning Organization is nearly compete and will be presented to Burleigh County and Bismarck city commissions this month.

The study is recommending that 71st Avenue, from its intersection from Highway 83 east to where it curves into Centennial, be improved to three lanes, including a center turn lane. Centennial would be improved likewise, except for a portion from Jericho south; this will be a five lane section. The road improvements will also be accompanied by a walking trail -west of Centennial and south of 71st.

URS project manager Bill Troe, originally thought the improvements would take place in either a short-term or mid-term time frame, but because of available funding it looks more like a mid-term project.

"Until we find additional support or another ways to fund it, I don't expect most of the improvements will take place for another 10 to 15 years," Troe said. "I think the people at the public input meeting were disappointed when they heard when the improvements were to occur."

MPO director Steve Saunders said the widening of the roads was among the top priorities of the MPO's technical advisory committee. But he also said that 80 percent of the roads are the responsibility of Burleigh County, and its roadway funds are not that substantial.

"The county can use federal allocations for the improvements. But it doesn't receive a huge amount annually, and those funds have to go towards all the roads in the county," Troe said.

It's estimated the improvements will cost between $8 million and $12 million. It will cost $8 million if a substantial portion of the existing substructure can be used; $11.7 million if it is completely reconstructed.

"The city can fund a portion of Centennial, up to about Calgary. That's in city limits," Troe said. "If additional area is annexed by the city, it could fund that also. But we've said all along that this is not the responsibility of one entity. When you break down the traffic, it becomes multi-jurisdictional -city, county and some state."

The two existing lanes are being asked to provide a lot of things, according to Troe. They connect people to their streets and driveways; it's the road they take to get groceries; it's a commuter route for work and school; it's a through route for some vehicles; and caters to a substantial amount of trucks and trailers. Some people also walk along the shoulder and use it for riding their bikes.

"We're asking it to do seven different things, and it isn't designed for that," Troe said.

Early on, Troe thought the improvements could be accomplished through two or three projects.

"But what we've found is that its going to have to be broken into more projects," Troe said.

This approach will likely mean the cost will go up substantially. It's estimated that mobilization of equipment and workers is nearly 20 percent of the total project cost. With more projects, it means more mobilizations. Inflation also has to be taken into consideration, and, currently, contractors are looking at increases of 6 to 7 percent annually.

At a recent meeting, the Bismarck-Mandan beltway steering committee did choose 71st as its northern route on the east side of the river. There had been some speculation that 84th might be more advantageous.

Saunders said the steering committee found pros and cons for both routes, but settled on 71st. This would eventually mean that 71st will become a five-lane section; but this is more of a long-term consideration.

After the corridor study is presented to Burleigh and Bismarck commissions, it will return to the MPO policy board. A final document is expected to be ready in April.

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