New NDDOT structure can hold 1,000 more tons of salt than old facility

FARGO — Some may have noticed a new, and very large, building has gone up just north of Century Cinema.

The new building has been constructed by the North Dakota Department of Transportation as a new salt storage facility.

The current building has started to develop rust and the DOT says it needed to be replaced.

The new facility is a more open design with a tarp roof to keep costs low.

While the previous building held around 4,500 tons, this new one is large enough to hold 1,000 tons more salt.

“I know people see it. It looks different. It’s sticking up. It’s got, you know, 10-foot of concrete sidewall and about 40 feet of canopy. So it’s about 50 feet tall from the ground up, so it looks a little different back there,” said NDDOT Highway Maintenance Coordinator Troy Gilbertson.

Once the weather warms up, NDDOT plans on coating the concrete footing with a protective coating to keep it from reacting to the salt.