[1] The establishment of the route was a temporary solution to the rapid increase in truck traffic in the area due to the North Dakota oil boom.

The county plans on eventually replacing the highway with an expressway bypass, dubbed the "Northeastern Truck Reliever Route", once funding is gathered.

Starting from the north, US 85B follows 57th Street Northwest, traveling east from an intersection (located on the Williston city limits) with US 2 and US 85[3]—running concurrently with County Road 6 (CR 6)—before turning south after approximately two miles (3.2 km), leaving the concurrency with CR 6.

After turning south, the route continues in this direction for exactly three miles (4.8 km),[4] before reaching an intersection with 54th Street Northwest that marks the eastern terminus of CR 7B.

After this, the route continues south for just under 1⁄2 mile (0.80 km) before terminating at a T intersection with North Dakota Highway 1804 (ND 1804) within Williston city limits.