The South Dakota Railroad Board has approved over $58 million in grant funding for state freight railroad infrastructure.
Funding is provided through the Federal Railroad Administration’s Special Transportation Circumstance funds.
The top two recipients are Dakota, Missouri Valley and Western Railroad at just over $17 million dollars and Rapid City, Pierre and Eastern Railroad at $14 million dollars.
Other grant recipients include:
- Belle Fourche Economic Development Corporation- $837,440
- Dakota and Iowa Railroad- $9,957,245
- Ringneck and Western Railroad- $8,310,932
- Sisseton Milbank Railroad- $3,241,040
Additional funding was also approved by the board for a STC Meet and Pass grant for Ringneck and Western Railroad for $797,353.
“The STC funds are dedicated to three states, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Alaska, who do not have passenger rail (Amtrak),” said South Dakota Department of Transportation Secretary Joel Jundt. “The STC grant funds are dedicated to provide the financial resources to improve South Dakota’s freight railroad infrastructure, which is vital to the continued growth and development of our economy.”
The STC grant funds are non-competitive and can not exceed 80% of the projects total cost. Fully competed grant applications by the chosen railroads are due to SDDOT by Wednesday, Dec. 6.
