Interstate 194 North Dakota

Although never signed in the field, I-194 appeared as a full Interstate on the 1982 North Dakota Official Highway Map. It was omitted by the 2002 edition, but reappeared by 2007 as a business route. The 2015-16 map again showed I-194 with a tricolor shield, but with non-Interstate line work.

Interstate 194 represents the northern half of a 3.5 mile long freeway linking I-94 with the capital city of Bismarck at Washington Street via east Mandan. The Interstate portion of the route ends 1.072 miles south of I-94 at the interchange with Business Loop I-94 (Memorial Highway). The remainder of the freeway southeast across the Missouri River is a part of unsigned North Dakota Highway 810.

Bismarck Expressway transitions to an arterial route at Washington Street. The expressway loops across the south side of Bismarck, serving a retail corridor anchored by Kirkwood Mall and an industrial area north of Bismarck Airport (BIS). The ND 810 portion of the route concludes 5.741 miles east of I-194 at 5th Avenue NE. Business Loop I-94 turns north onto the expressway from there on the final 1.658 mile return to Interstate 94 at the Centennial Park area. All mileage figures cited here were obtained from the 2020 Route and Mileage Map prepared by the North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT).

Interstate 194 was the lone Urban Interstate Route approved by the North Dakota State Highway Department in 1958. The route was specified in letter to the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) dated July 14, 1958 as

a Spur connecting Interstate Highway Number 94 with the present U.S. Highway Number 10, at the Missouri River Bridge, west of Biscmarck.

AASHO approved the route on November 10, 1958.

Interstate 194 was constructed at the same time I-94 was built from Mandan eastward through Bismarck. This included the Grant Marsh Bridge spanning the Missouri River, which was dedicated on December 9, 1965.¹ I-194 consisted of just the spur southeast to Memorial Highway and Main Avenue, the former alignment of U.S. 10 between the sister cities.

Bismarck Expressway / ND 810

A new southerly route across the Missouri River and around Bismarck was identified by Highway Department Engineers Woodie Wolf and Arlie Markley by about 1962. The city of Bismarck was not interested in the project at the time as much of the area remained rural or undeveloped. Area growth south of the Northern Pacific Railroad (BNSF today) line followed with construction of the Civic Center and Kirkwood Mall. As a new economic hub formed to the south, city officials came into agreement that the route should be built. Environmental and design work commenced by the early to mid 1970s, with construction underway in the early 1980s.²

The Bismarck Expressway was completed in 1985 when the 2,151 foot long Expressway Bridge spanning the Missouri River opened to traffic. The four lane highway cost $12.8 million.³

Sources:

1. #tbt to the Grant Marsh Bridge dedication in Bismarck on December 9, 1965. Pictured is Highway Commissioner Walt Hjelle (left) and Chief Engineer Robert Bradley (right).
   A presentation about this project called “Building the Interstate in North Dakota- Crossing the Missouri” will be presented on Jan. 10, 2016 at the Heritage Center in Bismarck. #throwbackthursday #nddot [Facebook update]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/nddot/photos/a.88387089460.81002.88374649460/10153778491739461/?type=3.
2. A lot has changed since this #throwback picture was taken in the early 80s! This is Bismarck Expressway looking west near the 9th Street intersection. #tbt #throwbackthursday #nddot [Facebook update]. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/nddot/photos/a.88387089460.81002.88374649460/10153873066009461/?type=3.
3. “Bridge’s chances look iffy – Sioux, Emmons counties still want to be connected.” Bismarck Tribune, The (ND), November 24, 1995.
4. “Traffic returns to normal on new Memorial Bridge.” Bismarck Tribune, The (ND), October 31, 2008.

Page updated June 30, 2022.