Road Approaches

(See below for 2nd Approach Permit information.)

All road approaches built on designated "County" roads require a "Road Approach Permit" and must be built to the following standards: Construction Standards. The permit fee is $50 and will be issued by the County Engineer's office at the Burleigh County Highway Department. The Engineering staff will make an on site survey to observe the drainage issues and determine the culvert length and diameter. In addition, consideration will be given to zoning requirements, plat requirements, county policy, frequency, and the general location regarding site distance and a generally safe location for the motoring public. You will be contacted when the permit is completed. Depending on seasonal workload, allow 1 to 3 days for the approach site inspection. The expense, maintenance and construction of the approach is the responsibility of the requesting property owner.

Road approaches on some township roads follow the same guidelines as stated above. All of the unorganized townships and townships within the control of the Bismarck/Burleigh County Planning and Zoning follow these guidelines. To find out if your property is in this zoning, simply call the Engineers Office with your legal property description.

In all other organized townships, contact a member of the township board for their requirements and instructions. Click here for a complete township listing.

To obtain a permit, follow the procedures below:

• Stop by the Burleigh County Highway Department at 8100 43rd Ave NE, or
• Call the office at 204-7748, or
• Email, or
• Fax the information to the office at 204-7749.

Before you contact us you will need the following information:

• Name of applicant
• Contact phone #'s
• A detailed legal description of the property
• Desired location of approach must be marked with a stake or flag. Be sure to mark the center of the desired approach location.
• Highway Department will review your proposed location and issue a permit.

When you pick up the permit you must have the following items:

• The fee of $50, to be paid at the Burleigh County Highway Department (credit cards are not accepted).
• A photo I.D. is required to pick up the permit, as the signature on the permit is notarized.

All permits are recorded at the County Recorder's office after they have been notarized. Once the original permit is received back from the Recorder's office, it will be mailed to the registered property owner.

All rural properties are allowed only one approach. If a second approach is desired, the request will be heard by the County Commission at a regular monthly meeting. The procedure for requesting a second approach is listed below.

2nd Approach Permit Request

A resident who wishes to apply for a second approach permit must submit the following to the County Engineer:

• A written request for a second approach permit with a detailed description as to why it is needed. Be sure to include the legal description of the property.
  
  
• Several Maps:
  
  1) Map showing the general township location (a Google map is also helpful)
  
  2) Plat map or subdivision map
  
  3) A hand drawn sketch of the lot layout indicating the location of the desired second approach.
  
  
• The location of the desired second approach must also be marked in the field with a stake or flag.

Please include as much detail as possible to ensure a timely inspection of the property.

The second approach should meet the following requirements:

1) The distance between adjacent approaches and the requested approach must be larger than 100 feet (center to center distance).

2) The requested approach provides adequate sight distance for the given speed zone. (As set forth in "A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Street" by AASHTO.)

3) The second approach meets standards set out in the existing Burleigh County Zoning Ordinance.

If the approach permit application meets the above criteria, the County Engineer will present the request to the County Board for their approval before the permit is issued.

However, if the permit is denied (because it does not meet one of the previous criteria), the resident may appeal the County Engineer's decision to the County Board.