State rail plan

The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities received a $1.1 million Formula Grant award on July 25, 2025, from the Federal Highway Administration under the Highway Planning and Construction program (CFDA 20.205). This award funds the development of the Alaska State Rail Plan, a strategic planning initiative designed to establish a comprehensive framework for rail development, integration, and enhancement as a freight transport mode within the state. The plan will be developed in collaboration with railroad stakeholders, including the Alaska Railroad Corporation, and will align Alaska's rail infrastructure priorities with national freight and transportation objectives.

The deliverable under this award is a comprehensive State Rail Plan that addresses Alaska's unique transportation challenges and opportunities by emphasizing rail's critical role in improving freight movement, economic vitality, and connectivity across the state and to markets beyond. Funded through the National Highway Freight Program, the plan will provide strategic recommendations for leveraging rail infrastructure to support the state's multimodal transportation network and advance state and national freight transportation goals.

Project description

The alaska state rail plan will work with the railroad stakeholders such as the alaska railroad corporation to establish a strategic framework for the development, integration, and enhancement of rail as freight transport within the state, aligning with national freight and transportation objectives. Funded through the national highway freight program (NHFP), this plan will address alaska's unique transportation challenges and opportunities, emphasizing the role of rail in improving freight movement, economic vitality, and connectivity across the state and beyond.