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- Kevin Gutknecht
651-366-4266
Location
Minnesota Department of
Transportation
Office of Communications
395 John Ireland Blvd.
Mail Stop 150
St. Paul, MN 55155-1899
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Minnesota submits applications for High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Program
ST. PAUL, Minn. —Mn/DOT submitted two applications to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for the first round of funding under the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Program. Mn/DOT also plans to submit three more applications early next year for the HSIPR program’s second round of funding.
The FRA released new guidance for Track 2 applications’ compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) on August 14, 2009. Mn/DOT in consultation with Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) changed the initial strategy of submitting the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative (MWRRI) project under Track 2 to apply for Track 3 funds and comply with the new NEPA guidance. This would allow Mn/DOT to apply for Track 2 funding for the MWRRI project in the second round of funding in 2010.
The applications submitted are:
|
Track |
Round |
Application Due Date
|
Midwest Regional Rail Initiative (Twin Cities, MN to Milwaukee, WI) $600,000 for an estimated $1.2 million to develop a service NEPA (high-level environmental study) in partnership with WisDOT for the Twin Cities to Milwaukee segment of the Chicago-Milwaukee-Twin Cities passenger rail corridor project. |
3 |
1 |
Aug. 24, 2009 |
St. Paul Union Depot $135.8 million to fully fund the construction of a multimodal transit hub at the St. Paul Union Depot. The project includes final design work and construction. |
1 |
1 |
Aug. 24, 2009 |
In 2010, Mn/DOT will consider the submission for three more applications under Round 2 funding of the HSIPR program:
|
Track |
Round |
Application Due Date
|
Midwest Regional Rail Initiative (Twin Cities, MN to Milwaukee, WI) $50 million for the Twin Cities to Milwaukee segment of the Chicago-Milwaukee-Twin Cities passenger rail corridor project which would include project NEPA, preliminary engineering and design work. |
2 |
2 |
Spring 2010 |
Northstar Phase II $150 million for a Minneapolis to St. Cloud passenger rail service. The project includes final design and construction |
1 |
2 |
Spring 2010 |
Northern Lights Express $45 million for the Northern Lights Express intercity rail line between Duluth and Minneapolis. The project includes preliminary engineering and design work. |
2 |
2 |
Spring 2010 |
The HSIPR program is in addition to the more than $600 million in ARRA funding Minnesota has received to date for road and bridge projects, ports and waterways and airports.
For more information on Mn/DOT’s ARRA effort, visit: www.dot.state.mn.us/federalrecovery.
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