The Metropolitan Planning Organization may have found a way to do a study involving a request for a new Interstate-94 interchange on Mandan's west side.

Last month, Mandan Mayor Ken LaMont and local developer Steve Thilomony explained how an interchange west of the city on the Interstate could bolster expansion and growth.

Paul Benning, of the North Dakota Department of Transportation, said getting an interchange was a difficult process at best and usually in response to easing existing traffic congestion. Currently there are few if any roads in the area with LaMont and Thilomony making a case the interchange would spur commercial and industrial activity.

Realizing justifying a study would be difficult, MPO director Steve Saunders reported at this week's MPO meeting he may have come up with a study involving the Bismarck-Mandan beltway that would include an interchange west of Mandan at 24th Avenue along with another at 66th Street east of Bismarck.

"The best viable option for an interchange west of Mandan is along 24th Avenue, which is part of the beltway. I figured why not look at the east leg at the same time for consistency and look at the parameters for 66th Street,"Saunders said. "I brought Bismarck engineer Mel Bullinger and Mayor John Warford into the discussion, and they seemed to be positive about it."

The beltway was identified in the Northern Bridge Corridor study. It encompasses 32nd Street north of Mandan, which will tie into Bismarck's 71st Avenue. The eastern boundary is north-south 66th Street which ties into 48th Avenue south of Lincoln. The east-west 48th ties into 24th Avenue which in turn returns to 37th Street.

Portions of the beltway do exist, but others are still years away, including Missouri crossings north and south of Bismarck-Mandan.

Burleigh County Commissioner Claus Lembke, who chairs the MPO policy board, said until an interchange is identified, the area west of Mandan probably won't see development. And even though the interchange would be among the last features implemented, build up of the area won't occur until land use plans and zoning are in place.

"With this type of plan we can stay ahead of the growth. Playing catch-up is not a lot of fun," Warford said.

LaMont said the study is critical to envisioned growth and Saunders said he could probably schedule the study for the 2007-08 MPO budget.

In other activity the MPO:

3 Discussed the Bismarck-Mandan Expressway corridor study. Bill Troe, URS engineer conducting the study, noted one scenario looked at shortening the Bismarck one-way pairs of Seventh and Ninth streets, taking pressure off their intersection with Expressway.

Troe noted the study will provide several scenarios which will be narrowed until a preferred alternative is chosen.

3 Saunders said SEH Inc. is considering a possible extension of its Lincoln-Bismarck route evaluation. Lincoln property owner Bob Harms was worried by an extension and hopes the study can be completed as expeditiously as possible.

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