Letter to the Editor: Dickinson needs a bypass, but make it further north

Talk about it

The Feb. 5 edition of The Dickinson Press had a front page article titled, “City endorses bypass.”

Travel the proposed routes yourself. Look for the actual amount of property impacts, wetland impacts and the impacts to homes. Take time to become informed. Review the proposed maps. Discuss your ideas and concerns with your commissioners.

The quoted statements made in the above Press article are not entirely correct. There are more than a dozen affected homes in the few miles along these routes. How do we endorse the negligent planning for a bypass between homes and still plan for the safety of these homes in the case of traffic crashes, hazardous spills or other incidents inherent to a bypass? The safety of our residents has to remain the top priority in planning. Impacts to wetlands, property and finances have to be secondary.

We have contacted project managers and others involved in the development. We believe the bypass needs to be planned further north for the most benefit. Since that is not being considered, we propose a route that would still fulfill the need of a bypass, with more acceptable conditions for those actually living with it.

That route would still come off the interstate at 116th Avenue Southwest, but would travel east along the 1/2 mile line between 33rd Street Southwest and 34th Street Southwest. It would follow geographic landowner borders and allow the state land to share more of the impact of land consumption. This route could still meet with 113th Avenue, which is already part of the interim bypass plan, while remaining slightly south of 33rd Street until it connects with Highway 22.

Dickinson needs a bypass. The comments and decisions of commissioners are not enough; nor are they entirely accurate. As people that will be living and traveling within these routes, it is the input of the affected citizens that needs to help decide what may be the best route.

— Allen and Pam Cote, Bob Dutchuk, Nick and Mary Lambert, Casey Miller, Dale Miller, Kurt Ridl, Joe and Mary Roshau, Renee Serhienko, Anton Tuhy, Clarence and Donna Tuhy, Cory and Melinda Tuhy, Pat and Louise Zeller, all of Dickinson, and Randy and Diane Rambousek, Bismarck

Tags: opinion, dickinson, bypass