Cramer Welcomes $2.7 million in DOT Railroad Planning for North Dakota and Midwest

Press Release

Today, Congressman Kevin Cramer welcomed the announcement the United States Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is allocating $ 2,780,651 for multi-state passenger railroad planning. According to the announcement, FRA is using these funds to engage stakeholders in both the Southeast and Midwest regions in forming more comprehensive regional governance organizations to sustain current planning work and develop a long-term passenger rail vision for their respective regions. Funding will also be utilized to enhance FRA's passenger rail network planning tool with updated cost and trip table data, as well as new mapping and benefit-cost analysis features. These efforts will build off of the pilot Southwest Passenger Rail Study funded under similar authority in FY 2010 and released in October 2014.

"Access to passenger rail is vital to many citizens in North Dakota. This program helps federal and state governments develop a long-term strategy to meet the passenger railway needs of North Dakota and the region," said Cramer.

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