District 8 Freight Plan

The Minnesota Department of Transportation’s District 8 is an administrative region located in the southwest and west-central Minnesota.

District 8 is known for farming and manufacturing agricultural products. The number of jobs, economic output of the agriculture industry, changes to the agricultural market and international trade trends all affect the regional economy of District 8.

The goal of the District 8 Freight Plan is to provide a clear understanding of the multimodal freight system, how local industries use the system and their needs and issues, so MnDOT can make more informed policy and programming decisions in the District. District 8 Freight Plan overview

District 8 Freight Plan

Online open house

Visit our virtual open house to see key highlights from the draft plan.

Working Papers

Netty Fiedler, Southwest Regional Development Commission

Chad Kingstrom, Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission

Donn Winckler, Mid-Minnesota Development Commission

Mel Odens, Kandiyohi County

Kent Exner, City of Hutchinson

Dan Coughlin, City of Olivia

Vicki Schwartz, Schwanns

Mike Frisvold, FedEx

Mark McMahon, Friendship Homes

Chuck Nelson, First District

Todd Geselis, Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative (SMBSC)

Mark Wegner, Twin Cities & Western Railroad Company

Lydia Bjorge, BNSF Railway

Jean Cemensky, Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS )

Bruce Abbe, Midwest Shippers

Melanie Faust, Jennie – O Turkey Store

Ryan Viessman, Viessman Trucking

Kris Reisenburg, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)

Andrew Andrusko, MnDOT Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations

Lindsey Bruer, MnDOT District 8

Jon Huseby, MnDOT District 8

Susann Karnowski, MnDOT District 8

Mandi Lightizer-Schmidt, MnDOT District 8

Megan DeSchepper, MnDOT District 8

Brad Utecht, MnDOT OTSM

Rosemary Bruce-White, Southwest Regional Development Commission

Netty Fielder, Southwest Regional Development Commission