U.S. Route 81 (US 81) is a part of the U.S. Highway System that travels from Fort Worth, Texas, to the PembinaâÂÂEmerson Border Crossing near Pembina. In the state of North Dakota, US 81 extends from the South Dakota border north to the Canada-United States border.
U.S. 81 enters North Dakota concurrently with Interstate 29 (I-29). It heads north from the South Dakota border, passing near Hankinson and a junction with ND 11 and junctions ND 13 about ten miles west of the city of Wahpeton, and then heads north towards Fargo, where it has a business route US 81 Bus. from exit 60 to exit 67. In Fargo, it passes near West Acres Mall, Hector International Airport and North Dakota State University. Then it passes Hillsboro and a junction with ND 200 and heads north to Thompson, to the north and west sides of the city of Grand Forks, where it has another business route from exit 138 to exit 145, past Alerus Center, Columbia Mall, and the University of North Dakota. There it splits off from I-29 and heads to the northwest, passing through the city of Manvel. It parallels I-29 about 10 miles west, passing by the towns of Minto, Grafton, and St. Thomas, before joining ND 5 in Hamilton, near Cavalier. It rejoins I-29 and continues to the USâÂÂCanada border at Pembina. The original route of US 81 survives as ND 127 and County Road 81 in Richland, Cass, Traill, and Grand Forks counties.
Exit numbers are I-29 exit numbers.