Update On The Bismarck Road Where Speed Limits Don’t Matter

There's a stretch of highway in Bismarck where apparently speed limits don't matter.

In fact, until recently, for the last several years I have never witnessed a single vehicle pulled over for speeding and I drive it twice a day.

This is a stretch of roads where drivers really like to put the pedal to the metal.  Especially if you're driving westbound into Mandan.  It's not unusual to have motorists cruise by you going 80,90 or even faster.

The speed limit on this stretch of highway is 55 but you would never know it.

For some reason, there have been no police, highway patrol, or sheriff departments that patrol this stretch of road. That's until recently.  More on that in a moment.

Why have there been no speed traps on this stretch of road?  I've been trying to figure this one out in my mind for quite a while and I do have a theory.  Because the shoulder of this road is very skinny.  A steel rail also separates the east and westbound portions of this highway.  I believe law enforcement officers think it's too dangerous to pull people over.

Again, this is just a theory, and I know that the Bismarck Police Department at one time did indeed use this area as a speed trap.  They would have a squad car gun vehicles on nearby Riverwood Drive.  They would also have an unmarked vehicle on either the westbound or eastbound side of the road, and they would pull people over that way.  That was several years ago, however.

In case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm talking about the extreme western portion of the Bismarck Expressway.

This stretch is also known as Interstate 194.  It begins at the intersection of south Washington going west.

Here's a picture of Bismarck, North Dakota's version of the Autobahn.

Speed demons should be aware that 3 times over the course of the summer I have witnessed law enforcement officers with a speed trap on this stretch of road.  FINALLY!

Normally, I would not wish for something like that, but like I said, this road has become dangerous.  People come flying by you at 90 miles per hour and I have had one or two close calls with overly aggressive drivers.

I hope law enforcement patrols this stretch even more, as people are still driving like maniacs both on my way to work and on my way home.

The highway/interstate where speed limits are made up and laws don't matter.  Hopefully, this will change.  The way some people drive, this can be a dangerous spot.  You have been warned.