The Minnesota Department of Transportation has updated the Minnesota state rail plan. The department released the revised document earlier this week. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

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MnDOT said in a release on the updated plan that it was developed after months of outreach. The process involved railroads, local governments, tribes, the public and other stakeholders. According to the department, the update is intended to improve safety, capacity and reliability across Minnesota’s current rail network. That network includes more than 4,000 miles of track.

MnDOT rail system priorities

MnDOT Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger said the document is intended to serve as a long-term guide for rail-related investment. “This plan demonstrates how key investments can improve the mobility of goods and people,” said MnDOT Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger. “It serves as a 20-year guide to enhance economic development, provide critical connections for Minnesota residents and businesses, and continue to support the state’s economic competitiveness.”

The plan advances several key initiatives. It also details additional funding needs to support freight-rail operations.

Passenger rail expansion in Midwest corridors

The Minnesota State Rail Plan also addresses passenger-rail expansion in new or additional Midwest corridors. These include increased service on Amtrak’s Borealis corridor between the Twin Cities, Milwaukee and Chicago. They also include development of the Northern Lights Express route between Minneapolis and Duluth.

The document also identifies capital improvement projects. Those projects are needed to enhance reliability and speed or improve capacity in existing corridors.

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