Comments are being accepted for area road improvement projects that are planned for this summer, pending confirmation of federal funding.

Two projects are being considered as an amendment to the DOT's 2010 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The projects were added to this summer's construction season due to a possible second round of federal economic stimulus dollars being considered by Congress.

Walt Peterson, Williston District engineer for the North Dakota Department of Transportation, said the first project is the addition of rumble strips to the centerlines and shoulders of all two-lane highways in the district. The estimated cost of adding rumble strips to district roads is $3.75 million. Peterson said the state of North Dakota is adding rumble strips to roads in the coming years to improve motorist safety.

"The shoulder rumble strips should help them realize that they're drifting outside of their lane or are going off the side of the road," said Peterson.

Peterson said the rumble strips should get motorist's attention, allowing them to correct their driving before any chance of an accident. The Williston District consists of Williams, McKenzie, Divide, Mountrail and Burke counties.

A second project for the district is widening North Dakota Highway 8 north from Stanley to the junction of North Dakota Highway 50.

"There will be approximately two feet of widening of the road and a paving overlay," said Peterson.

Peterson said the reasoning behind this project stems from heavy oil traffic throughout the area.

The estimated cost of the Stanley project is $5.795 million.

He said some statewide projects being considered this year are on track for construction in 2011 or 2012, but were moved up because of the possible stimulus dollars.

"If we're able to move it ahead, that's OK," said Peterson.

Each year, Peterson said the DOT creates a list of programmed projects for the next three years.

"This tells the public what we have planned in coming years," said Peterson.

He said when the list of STIP projects is updated with new items moved forward, a public comment period is necessary to make sure any concerns are taken into consideration in advance.

Peterson said the majority of comments the department receives come from companies or individuals who frequently travel the specific roads. He said this tends to include oil and other truck traffic.

The public is invited to view current STIP projects on the North Dakota DOT Web site at www.dot.nd.gov.

Comments are accepted through Feb. 20. They can be submitted either by mail to Scott Zainhofsky at NDDOT, 608 E. Boulevard Ave., Bismarck, N.D., 58505-0700, or by e-mail to szainhofsky@nd.gov with the words 2010 State Federal-Aid Roadway Projects in the subject line.