Is BIA 14 the most expensive road in the world?

It's an absolutely outrageous 10 miles of road on the "Indian" reservation in North Dakota, I drive it all the time. This is no lease road, it's a major heavy truck artery running between two paved roads, Rt 22 and BIA 12.

The costs in terms of man hours driving that thing as well as wear and tear on equipment must be astronomical, far more expensive than keep road graders running out there or actually paving the thing.

I just think this is a good topic for a major rant. I hear rumors, this and that, but does anyone know the true story behind this lunacy?

 

The thing is, I'm not fooled. It's not a lease road, it's a major truck route. It would be cheaper for everyone involved if they'd do something with it- I've been on it several weeks and haven't seen a grader! I'm just curious where the "major stupid" lies- the "Indians"? The state or local governments? The oil companies?

Well, maybe if they paved it the rates would be lower. As it is, I can rough it in somebody else's equipment as long as the money is right. Still ridiculous, though.

 

There is big money being made with that road, there is incentive. Certainly the "indians" are getting a cut. The indians are already charging to use the road, it's called an expensive permit. Everyone has an interest in seeing that road maintained: the drivers taking the pounding and wasting time; the companies and O/Os paying for the equipment; the fracking companies that need their water and sand; the indians who want to keep that money rolling in.

But, what a difference a day makes! The rain shut down production, but then the road quickly dried up. Suddenly, there is road repair equipment running up and down the road. Maybe that's what it takes, the fracking coming to a halt. The impossible becomes possible.