The Minnesota Department of Transportation is providing nearly $10 million for freight rail improvement projects across the state.
The money will support 11 projects, which will make the state more competitive in the global and national economy, Kelly Christenson, department freight and rail programs supervisor, said in the announcement. The department received 19 proposals requesting $22.5 million.
“The increased number of grant applications we received this year demonstrates the importance of improving the freight rail infrastructure across the state,” Christenson said.
The $9.6 million in grants will fund projects in agriculture, sugar, development and government.
The projects are:
- $1.9 million to develop a unit train loading facility for Northern Country Co-op in Lansing.
- $1.56 million to develop land for a new industrial park and innovation center for Minnesota Northern Railroad Co. in Crookston.
- $1.5 million to install new railcar offloading stations for Louisiana-Pacific Corp. in Watkins.
- $1.1 million to build 2,150 feet of track to transport fertilizer for a forthcoming agronomy center for Meadowlands Farmers Co-op in Echo.
- $960,000 to expand a packaging warehouse for American Crystal Sugar Co. in Crookston.
- $613,600 to update a railroad crossing signal and accessibility projects for the city of Little Falls.
- $511,446 to add 2,440 feet of track and two internal switches within an existing terminal for Seven Rivers Intermodal Terminal in Winona.
- $468,137 to improve bridges on Progressive Rail’s Minnesota system.
- $400,000 to enhance the rail loading system for Sanimax US in South St. Paul.
- $328,424 to extend track at Twin Cities & Western Railroad Co. near Cologne.
- $246,000 for rail improvements for DeRock Capital Group in Hector.