This project entails completing planning, environmental review, concept development, and preliminary design for grade separation of csah 11 where IT crosses the bnsf railway line and TH 10 in becker…

County Sherburne received a $1.725 million Project Grant from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) under the Railroad Crossing Elimination Program (CFDA 20.327), awarded May 1, 2025, with completion targeted for January 31, 2028. The grant funds planning, environmental review, concept development, and preliminary design services for grade separation of County State Aid Highway 11 (CSAH 11) where it intersects the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway line and State Highway 10 in Becker Township, Minnesota. The project addresses a documented safety and mobility hazard, with the at-grade crossing having experienced one fatality and three serious injury crashes over the preceding ten years, generating a crash rate of 1.52.

Under this award, the recipient will prepare a comprehensive Project Management Plan, conduct technical analysis, perform stakeholder outreach, and deliver a Project Planning Package consistent with FRA's Project Planning Lifecycle Stage guidance. Deliverables include detailed documentation of activities and steps necessary to advance the project through early development stages, with the ultimate objectives of reducing serious crash risk at the railroad crossing, improving mobility for both passenger and freight vehicles during peak travel periods, and promoting regional connectivity and economic vitality. The project builds upon previous planning efforts to position the grade separation initiative for subsequent design and construction phases.

This project entails completing planning, environmental review, concept development, and preliminary design for grade separation of csah 11 where IT crosses the bnsf railway line and TH 10 in becker township, minnesota. This at-grade intersection and bnsf rail crossing is an area of safety and mobility concern and has shown the need for grade separation in several past studies. The intersection has been the site of one fatal and three serious injury crashes in the past 10 years, resulting in a crash rate of 1.52. Vehicles also experience significant delays at the intersection due to the existing geometric limitations and the frequency of freight trains that impact northbound and southbound traffic on csah 11.the recipient will build upon previous planning efforts to advance the project through early development stages. The project is expected to reduce the risk of serious crashes at the intersection railroad crossing, improve mobility for both passenger and freight vehicles during peak travel hours, and promote regional connectivity and economic vitality. The recipient will prepare a project management plan (PMP), that describes how the project will be implemented and monitored to ensure effective, efficient, and safe delivery of the project on time and within budget. The PMP will describe, in detail, the activities and steps necessary to complete the tasks outlined in this statement of work. The recipient will conduct technical analysis, stakeholder outreach, and other project planning activities, and prepare a project planning package as detailed in the PMP. The project planning package will be consistent with the objectives of the project planning lifecycle stage identified in the FRA guidance on development and implementation of railroad capital projects (january 11, 2023). The project planning package will include all information described in the PMP. FRA will review the planning package for acceptance. Information and activities necessary to perform and complete the required project planning package will be included in the approved PMP. The project beneficiaries include the sherburne county and bnsf railway company.