The recipient will conduct environmental review, preliminary engineering, final design, and construction activities, to eliminate safety hazards caused by inadequate track structure on a segment of…

The Federal Railroad Administration awarded the State of South Dakota Department of Transportation $22,000,451 on October 1, 2025, under the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements Program (CFDA 20.338) to eliminate safety hazards on the Dakota, Minnesota Valley & Western Railroad Britton Line through environmental review, preliminary engineering, final design, and construction activities.

The recipient will replace four switches, install four new concrete crossings, lay approximately 27,500 new ties and 55,000 tons of ballast, correct skewed ties, perform surfacing and anchor replacement, and install approximately 9.2 track miles of 115-pound jointed rail. These upgrades will maintain the line in a state of good repair, enhance the railroad's resilience, and ensure safe movement of 286,000 railcars annually, strengthening the economic vitality and competitiveness of the industries served by the Britton Line.

Performance occurs in South Dakota, with work scheduled from October 1, 2025, through March 31, 2029. The CFDA 20.338 program funds projects that improve safety, efficiency, and reliability of intercity passenger and freight rail systems, with funding obligated and disbursed as project milestones are achieved.

The recipient will conduct environmental review, preliminary engineering, final design, and construction activities, to eliminate safety hazards caused by inadequate track structure on a segment of rail owned and operated by dakota, minnesota valley & western railroad (dmvw). The scope of work includes replacing four switches, installing four new concrete crossings, laying approximately 27,500 new ties and 55,000 tons of ballast, correcting skewed ties, surfacing and anchor replacement, and installing approximately 9.2 track miles of 115-pound jointed rail. These upgrades will maintain the line in a state of good repair, enhance dmvw?s resilience, and ensure the safe, consistent movement of 286K railcars. By improving the overall safety and resiliency of the dmvw britton line, the project will strengthen the economic vitality and competitiveness of the industries IT serves.