N. Dakota given over $290,000 in federal transportation funds

U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) said on Wednesday that North Dakota has received  more than $290,000 in federal funding for transportation projects.

The funds will be given to the Office of Traffic Safety, a branch of the North Dakota Department of Transportation. The finances will be used to support Occupant Protection programs, State Traffic Safety Information Systems and Impaired Driving Countermeasures throughout the state. The U.S. Department of Transportation approved of and authorized the funding.

This move is just one part of Heitkamp’s Strong & Safe Communities Initiative. Heitkamp has united community leaders from Minot, Bismarck and other towns to address the state's transportation infrastructure needs. Their discussions centered on the crucial necessity of expanding and constructing bridges and roads throughout North Dakota. Doing so will improve the state’s safety, as well as improve traffic flow and commerce.

“It is vital that North Dakotans are safe when using our state’s highways to travel and get from place to place,” Heitkamp said. “This funding will assist in keeping our roads secure and safe, and help with taking steps toward accident prevention and safety awareness.”