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Heated hearing in Dickey County road dispute as committee considers clarifying county authority to adopt township roads
Summary
Lawmakers heard competing testimony over a one‑and‑a‑half mile township road near Ellendale that Applied Digital and local officials say is unsafe for heavy construction traffic. Supporters say clarifying Century Code will unlock DOT funding; township officials say the bill would rewrite local control for other townships.
The Senate Transportation Committee held an extended hearing on House Bill 1444 after residents, local officials and company representatives described a dispute over a stretch of township road near Ellendale in Dickey County.
Representative Mike Brandenburg (District 28) told the committee the bill is intended to clarify Century Code so a county may formally assume a township road and apply for state or federal funds to rebuild a mile‑and‑a‑half stretch that currently carries large volumes of construction traffic for Applied Digital’s data‑center project. "This is about safety," Representative Brandenburg said, noting heavy truck volumes and an expected increase in daily traffic as the facility grows.
Nick Phillips, executive vice president for…
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