I94 Lane closures making drivers tentative

It needs to happen, but trust me it's not fun.

The North Dakota Department of Transportation announced changes to existing lane closures on I-94 in Mandan and that has made the commute a little longer.

Commuters traveling westbound can expect the lane closure already in place at exit 153 to be extended an additional 1.5 miles to just west of exit 152(Sunset Drive).  Similarly, for eastbound drivers, the lane closure will now begin just west of exit 152(Sunset Drive) and extend to the three-lane section of the Interstate.

All other lane closures will remain unchanged.

I-94 will be open to traffic at all times throughout this process, utilizing a combination of lane closures and head-to-head traffic. Width restrictions will be in place and the speed limit will be reduced to 45 mph or lower throughout the construction zone. Be sure to be careful in this speed reduced zones as not only are violators susceptible to a minimum fee of $80 for speeding, but there are also often workers present. Let's stay safe everyone!

Construction work is expected to be completed in late fall.

The NDDOT encourages local motorists — which include businesses and commuters —  to plan ahead before travelling by checking for regular updates on construction progress on www.i94bisman.dot.nd.gov or I-94 Mandan/Bismarck Expressway Project on Facebook.

Hey, it's not crazy like a major city but adding an extra 10 minutes to your commute isn't fun.