The award purpose is to conduct environmental review, preliminary engineering, final design, and construction activities to complete track and bridge improvements on a segment of rail owned and…

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) awarded $20.1 million to the State of South Dakota Department of Transportation under the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program (CFDA 20.325) on August 1, 2025, to complete track and bridge improvements on the Pierre to Rapid City (PRC) subdivision operated by Rapid City, Pierre Eastern Railroad, Inc. The project will deliver environmental review, preliminary engineering, final design, and construction services to replace approximately 16.13 miles of rail, upgrade or replace 34 bridge structures, improve turnouts, rehabilitate crossings, enhance ballast and track surfacing, and conduct shoulder profiling. Upon completion by April 30, 2029, these improvements will enable the railroad to accommodate 286,000-pound railcar load capacity, reduce derailment risk, enhance system reliability, and improve resilience to extreme winter weather conditions.

The project addresses critical infrastructure modernization for a vital regional freight rail line serving eastern South Dakota. By upgrading track weight capacity and bridge structures, the initiative will enhance railroad safety, efficiency, and economic competitiveness for rural communities in the region. The CRISI program prioritizes projects that demonstrate strong benefit-cost analysis and maximize net public benefits; this award reflects FRA's commitment to modernizing freight rail infrastructure that supports local and national economic development objectives.

The award purpose is to conduct environmental review, preliminary engineering, final design, and construction activities to complete track and bridge improvements on a segment of rail owned and operated by rapid city, pierre eastern railroad, INC. (RCP e). The project will improve railroad safety, efficiency, capacity, and reliability on a railway vital to local economic success. Additionally, the project aims to increase the competitiveness of rural communities in eastern south dakota within national and global markets. Specifically, the project will replace the remaining approximately 16.13 miles of rail on the pierre to rapid city, south dakota (PRC) subdivision that have not been previously upgraded. The project will also upgrade or replace approximately 34 bridge structures to achieve greater track weight capacity, improve turnouts, rehabilitate crossings, improve ballast and track surfacing, and conduct shoulder profiling. Upon completion, the project will enable the railroad to accommodate 286K railcar load capacity within the project limits, improve reliability, reduce the likelihood of track-caused derailments, and improve the railroads ability to withstand extreme winter weather conditions.