Minnesota Department of Transportation

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Minnesota Highway Freight Program

Announcement of 2025 awards

BNSF Midway Terminal

A total of $76.2 million was awarded through three competitive grant programs to more than two dozen transportation projects statewide that will improve freight options, travel time reliability and economic development.

The funds come from the Minnesota Highway Freight Program (MHFP), the Transportation Economic Development (TED) Program and the Corridors of Commerce Readiness Advancement Program. Collectively these programs help fund and support important transportation projects that aim to improve freight safety, access, mobility, first and last mile connections, railroads and intermodal facilities and more to ensure our state continues to have a safe, sustainable and efficient transportation system.

2025 awards summary

Grants recipients in the Twin Cities Metro Area include:

  • City of Burnsville ($10m MHFP) and City of Savage ($7.9m TED) for the Highway 13 Corridor Mobility and Safety Improvements project, which will construct new interchanges and overpasses at key intersections along Highway 13.
  • City of Elko New Market ($7m MHFP) for the I-35/Scott County Road 2 Interchange Reconstruction Project. The project will construct a Diverging Diamond Interchange at that intersection and make other improvements along the corridor to improve safety and reliability of the interchange.
  • Dakota County ($7m MHFP) for the I-35/Dakota County Roads 50 and 5 Interchange Reconstruction project that will add auxiliary lanes, add shared use pathways and improve signals to help increase freight mobility and safety.
  • Truck Parking Information Management System replacement ($1.7m MHFP) to replace truck parking information system sensors, cabinets and install new safety cameras at seven MnDOT rest areas.

Grant recipients in Greater Minnesota include:

  • MnDOT District 6 ($10m MHFP) for the I-35/I-90 Interchange Freight Safety and Mobility Project that will replace a bridge, construct buffer lanes, add roundabouts and extend turn lanes at the interchange north of Albert Lea to better accommodate truck movements and improve safety.
  • MnDOT District 8 ($5.2m MHFP) to build a roundabout at Highway 71/19 and Redwood County Road 1 (Airport Road) near Redwood Falls.
  • MnDOT District 4 ($2m MHFP) for snow fence improvements along I-94 to improve safety and visibility along I-94 during snow events.
  • Cloquet Terminal Railroad ($1.9m MHFP) for intermodal and railroad improvements to better accommodate stacking and cargo at the Sappi Paper Cloquet Mill.

An additional $2.4 million from the Minnesota Highway Freight Program will also be used to update district and statewide freight plans to support statewide economic development.

2025 MHFP fourth round solicitation results and materials

Previously Selected Projects Information

Previously selected projects map

2023 third round program results

2020 second round program results

2017 first round program results

About the program

Freight truck travelling on the highway.
Minnesota Highway Freight Program goals include infrastructure and operational improvements to U.S. highways, and improving safety, security, efficiency and resiliency of freight transport.

The Minnesota Highway Freight Program is a federally funded program designed to improve freight safety, mobility, intermodal facilities and first and last mile connections to key destinations.

Minnesota cities, counties, metropolitan planning organizations, tribal governments, ports, airports, railroads and others may apply for funding for roadway, railroad safety, port and intermodal projects that benefit freight throughout the state.

Some examples of freight projects that may be funded through the program are:

  • Railroad at-grade crossing improvements
  • Truck parking
  • Weigh station improvements
  • Freight mobility projects, such as interchanges or bypass lanes to address freight bottlenecks 
  • Improving access to freight-generating facilities or industrial areas
  • Intermodal projects, such as airport or other transfer stations and ports and waterways

Funding for the Minnesota Highway Freight Program comes from the federal National Highway Freight Program and state Trunk Highway funds that provide state support to make freight improvements. Freight improvements that are funded align with the investment direction in the State Freight Plan.