MnDOT grants MVRR $322,000 for railroad bridge improvement near Morton

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has selected railroad bridge improvements near Morton as one of nine freight rail projects to receive funding in the coming year. The $322,000 grant will go to the Minnesota Valley Regional Railroad Authority to supervise the work.

Nine freight rail projects will receive a total of $6.95 million in funding to improve freight rail service across the state. The grants are provided through the Minnesota Rail Service Improvement program with funding approved during the 2021 legislative special session.

Other projects selected, and their funding amounts, are:

• RLS GL Intermediate II LLC (Dundas) – $1.9 million to improve and expand rail access at an intermodal refrigerated facility site.
• Northern Country COOP (Lansing) – $1.2 million to install a rail loop track that will connect to an existing rail line.
• Central Farm Service (Delavan) – $1 million to expand and improve railyard efficiency.
• F.W. Cobs Company, Inc. (Stewart) – $641,000 to install a modern, bulk rail out system to load rail cars and an in-track rail car mover to increase volume of railcars loaded at a facility.
• Minnesota Commercial Railway (New Brighton) – $599,000 to upgrade a stretch of track to safely accommodate heavier railcars.
• KT Transload LLC. (Ortonville) – $536,000 to upgrade and modernize an abandoned rail spur to connect new business to an existing rail line.
• Northern Lines Railroad (St. Cloud) – $381,000 to modernize and upgrade rail, switches and rehabilitate one concrete grade crossing.
• Red River Grain Company (Breckenridge) – $370,000 to modernize and upgrade rail track to safely accommodate higher rail volume.