MnDOT Seeks Applicants for Freight Rail Service Improvement Projects
Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor
Photo by John Auberg; Courtesy of Minnesota Commercial Railroad (MNNR)
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) recently announced that $9.6 million is currently available for projects designed to improve freight service and support economic development.
According to MnDOT, the funding is available through the Fiscal Year 2024 Minnesota Rail Service Improvement (MRSI) grant program, which was established in 1976 to strengthen the state’s shipping economy. The program was given authority to issue grants for freight rail service improvements that support economic development in 2017.
Eligible applicants include railroads, rail shippers, political subdivisions of Minnesota, and federal agencies that seek to complete a major improvement or rehabilitation of railroad rights of way or other railroad facilities.
The application deadline is Dec. 15, after which MnDOT will “evaluate each application for completeness and whether it meets requirements for project type, budget and anticipated completion date.”
A project selection committee will review and score eligible applications based on the following criteria:
Selected projects will be announced in April 2024.
