drive across ND on 94 at night?

[fletcher]

I am going antelope hunting in MT in on 10/9 what is the drive across ND like (on 94) at night?

animals on the road? road conditions, speed limits/ mounties?

gas stations available, driving a truck so looking for places to gas up 24hrs

time estimates

Any info is appreciated

[InTheNorthwoods]

The drive is easy. Speed limit is 75, highway patrolmen are hit or miss but you will likely see some. Speeding fines are low in ND. Yes, there can be animals on the road, but that is a risk anywhere. Nothing to specifically worry about. There are conveniently spaced larger towns for most of the state (Fargo, Valley City, Jamestown, Bismarck, Dickinson) and also places to stop for gas and to pay at the pump quite frequently in smaller towns.

[SneakAttack]

Lots of Mule Deer from Dickinson to the border that were on the road, on the shoulder, and in the ditch that i can remember, plenty of joints to gas up at night

[brittman]

Comprehensive insurance is often higher in rural ND than collision. Deer and hail are the reason.

I see deer anytime I drive through ND at night.

Fines for over the speed limit is $1/mile over for 15 and under. Going 85 cost you $10 in a 75 zone.

Construction zones have their own rules just like MN.

Amazing how fast you can move across I94 running at 83MPH. It will cost you in the fuel tank.

[croixflats]

The drive is safe through North Dakota. Had no issues going through there and coming back. Montana is where you realy have to be on your toes as for antalope and mule deer at night.

Time wise I am not sure how long toget across the state but I can tell you from the cities to jamestown about 9 hours,I believe its about the halfway point. At night and around dawn is the scariest through montana but I take highway 200s out of glendive from 94 going to GreatFalls

[motley man]

Plenty of gas stations

[LMITOUT]

I can do St. Cloud to Bismarck in about five hours. That's running a tad over 75mph and one stop for fuel. I've made that trip numerous times and unless there is road construction or some other reason to slow me down you can almost bet on five hours every time.

[Lakers]

Fletcher,

I live in the cities. I'm thinking (croixflats) just had a typo or something in their post stating it takes 9 hours from the cities to Jamestown. At most 5 hours; but usually about 4.5. I currently live in Bloomington, but I went to collece in Jamestown & have a brother who lives there. Done the drive several times, and never did it take more than 5. Jamestown is about 100 miles West of Fargo, Bismarck 100 miles West of Jamestown, & Dickinson about 100 miles West of Bismarck. I can tell you the HPs are the worst within 10 miles on either side of both Jamestown & Bismarck in my past experiences. I have family in Jamestown, Bismarck & Dickinson actually, so I have made the drive to each down several times down I-94. Like the post above said, plenty of places to gas up/eat along that drive.

Good luck on the antelope hunt!!

[Sifty]

On our trip's out if always see deer in the Valley City area.

Don't know what it is but they seem to like that area, most of the time we will go there at 3:00 am.

As for the HP's we seem to se alot after bar close and a couple of hours after.

Good luck with the hunt.

Sifty

[southwest]

is the fine really only $10 for driving 85 in a 75? the to Sask

Canada next weekend and is nice to know if we are behind schedule

[marine_man]

It's probably closer to 20 or 40, but not much more than that.

ND relies on points to set your insurance rates, and typically, in ND, the hit from insurance is much worse than the one from the Highway patrol.

marine_man

[Lakers]

Remember that the fines end up costing you more than you think. You lose points on your license and in many cases, it might kick up your insurance rates. Something to think about before going too crazy with the gas pedal!!

[iffwalleyes]

Yes the interstate the fines are bigger. But not hugh still I think it is like 5 for ever mile over. The fines are based on different speed zones. But I know that 65 in a 55 is a $10 fee found that out twice this summer but no points lost. As far a on 94 you are safe to 80 but I have gotten a ticket for 81 once so keep that in mine. As far as gas if you get to fuel in the bigger towns you'll make it between them. If you fill in Valley you'll make it to Dickenson. This tip though if you are close on fuel at Casselton pull in and fill cause in the 40 miles into Valley there are no stations anymore the Tower City truck stop closed up a year ago. From Valley City it is a 8 hour hard drive to Billings don't know were exactly you are heading.

Good luck the goat hunting is an awesome hunt.

[Fred_Bear]

FYI gas has been about 20-25 cents more per gallon in Valley City compared to Fargo this fall. Don't know about farther west but I'm guessing it will be about the same. I'd make sure to fill in Fargo or Moorhead as you go through.

[croixflats]

Fletcher,

I live in the cities. I'm thinking (croixflats) just had a typo or something in their post stating it takes 9 hours from the cities to Jamestown. At most 5 hours; but usually about 4.5. I currently live in Bloomington, but I went to collece in Jamestown & have a brother who lives there. Done the drive several times, and never did it take more than 5. Jamestown is about 100 miles West of Fargo, Bismarck 100 miles West of Jamestown, & Dickinson about 100 miles West of Bismarck. I can tell you the HPs are the worst within 10 miles on either side of both Jamestown & Bismarck in my past experiences. I have family in Jamestown, Bismarck & Dickinson actually, so I have made the drive to each down several times down I-94. Like the post above said, plenty of places to gas up/eat along that drive.

Good luck on the antelope hunt!!

Something didnt seem right about the time. I appollagise for the incorrect info. Been a few years since I have been out there. My memory is fading faster than I care to admitt. I do remember I made it to GreatFalls in 14.5 hours, exactly 1000 miles give or take 1 or 2 miles weird, but that was cooking along at a good rate. Got hit ounce in Montana outside of the town Circle on Highway 200s doing 95 but he reduced it to 85 for a $25 fine. Super nice guy we shot the breeze for at least 15 minutes.

Looking foward to getting back out there to do some fly fishing maybe next year. And to see my Brother and his family.

Good luck

[LMITOUT]

FYI gas has been about 20-25 cents more per gallon in Valley City compared to Fargo this fall. Don't know about farther west but I'm guessing it will be about the same. I'd make sure to fill in Fargo or Moorhead as you go through.

That's a good tip. As far back as I can remember the price of gas in Valley City has been higher than other areas. If I know I can't make it much further past Valley City I'll stop early in Fargo and fill'r up there.

[iffwalleyes]

One of my co workers here in Valley City told me gas is $0.40 a gallon cheaper in Lisbon which is 45 minutes to the SE it crazy $2.65 for regular and $2.61 for diesel. However that is still way better than the $4.50 a gallon I was paying for diesel last summer.

[marine_man]

Lisbon has had the cheapest gas anywhere I've traveled since May... including Minneapolis / St Paul, St Cloud, Jamestown...

Pretty crazy, but I'm not complaining!

marine_man

[brittman]

It's probably closer to 20 or 40, but not much more than that.

ND relies on points to set your insurance rates, and typically, in ND, the hit from insurance is much worse than the one from the Highway patrol.

marine_man

[marine_man]

On the fine a bit, but with respect to points I know of several who have lost 1 or 2 points, but almost never heard of anyone losing 3 to 5 points per violation.

marine_man

[brittman]

Must have been speeding in town to lose a couple of points.

On the highway it is NOT even a moving violation that results in points if under 16 mph.

[lloyd6996]

ND has a no tolerance policy on the speed. It is unreal the spots they can hide and hit u with radar, in a state with not a lot of trees. Last time I crossed the 352 miles on I94 i counted 12 deer carcess. I was born in Alexander, ND but have lived in Mn for 55 years, and i just love the scenery in the western part of the state. After midnite the cops are real scarce unless its fri or sat nite. Travel the western part in the day and enjoy it. I have traveled accross the state for 40 years as a truck driver and still enjoy it.

[brittman]

ND has a no tolerance policy on the speed.

????

when was this?

[mn_bowhunter]

Speeding tickets are not that cheap. The one dollar per mile over is for lower speed zones. Higher zones such as I94 are higher amounts. My buddy got a ticket doing 90 in a 75 and the ticket was about $100. This was three years ago. May 2007 I got a ticket in a 25 mph zone. It was $14 since I was doing 39. On the back it had outlined the speed zone rate differences. If I remember right there was a base fee, plus $5 per mile over. ND supreme court deemed no city could charge more than the state, so cities like fargo were forced to lower their ticket prices. Statewide fines are now identical.

[iffwalleyes]

You guys just need to get more apparently . I have gotten plent of tickets for speeding and ND is not that expensive. Yes if you are going to be crazy and really push it then it is expensive. But if it is a few miles over it doesn't compair to MN I have had two $10 tickets this past summer that would have been a min of $60 if in MN.

Britt I don't know where you info comes from but if they write you for more the 10 MPH over you start to accumulate points in lower speed zones. Here you go the points schedule is straight from the DOT web page. So yes you can get less that 3 points. The fine schedule if from another source but it is pretty accurate.

Point Schedule

Speed Zones Less Than 70 mph

Speed (mph) Points

1 - 5 mph over limit 0

6 - 10 mph over limit 0

11 - 15 mph over limit 1

16 - 20 mph over limit 3

21 - 25 mph over limit 5

26 - 35 mph over limit 9

36 - 45 mph over limit 12

46 mph plus over limit 15

Speed Zones 70 mph or Greater

Speed (mph) Points

1 - 5 mph over limit 0

6 - 10 mph over limit 1

11 - 15 mph over limit 3

16 - 20 mph over limit 5

21 - 25 mph over limit 7

26 - 30 mph over limit 10

31 - 35 mph over limit 12

36 mph plus over limit 15

Speeding Ticket Fines

If you do get caught speeding in North Dakota, take heart: The speeding fines here are some of the lowest in the nation. The exact amount you'll pay depends on how fast you were going when you got pulled over, and how fast the speed limit says you were supposed to have been going. For example, if the speed limit for the road you were stopped on is 65 miles per hour, you'll pay $5.00 for each mph you were going over the speed limit. If the speed limit on the road is 55 mph or more but less than 60 mph and you were going from 1-10 mph over the limit, you'll pay $2.00 for each mph over the limit. If you were going 11 mph or more over the limit, you'll pay $20.00 for the first 10 mph over the limit and $5 for each additional mph you were traveling beyond that. If the speed limit on the road was less than 55 mph, you'll pay fines according to the following table:

Miles Per Hour Over the Speed Limit

Amount of Fine

1-5 mph

$5.00

6-10 mph $5.00 for the first 5 mph over and $1.00 for each additional mph over after the first 5.

11-15 mph

$10.00 for the first 10 mph over and $1.00 for each additional mph over after the first 10.

16-20 mph

$15.00 for the first 15 mph over and $2.00 for each additional mph over after the first 15.

21-25 mph

$25.00 for the first 20 mph over the limit and $3.00 for each additional mph over after the first 20.

26-35 mph $40.00 for the first 25 mph over the limit and $3.00 for each additional mph over after the first 25.

36-45 mph

$70.00 for the first 35 mph over the limit and $3.00 for each additional mph over after the first 35.

over 46 mph $100 for the first 45 mph over the limit and $5.00 for each additional mph over the limit after the first 45.