BNSF wye project partners sign MOU to apply for federal funds

Written by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
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MnDOT

BNSF, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), the city of Willmar, Kandiyohi County and the Kandiyohi/Willmar Economic Development Commission have entered into a revised Memorandum of Understanding allowing the partners to apply for federal funds to help pay for a wye project.

The Willmar Wye project is a proposal to construct a new rail alignment and industrial park access on the west side of the city of Willmar. The proposed project would also include the construction of two new highway bridges on Highway 12 and Highway 40, over the proposed new rail line, along with other associated local road modifications.
The existing local rail configuration impedes local traffic and train service.

The project would create a direct connection for BNSF rail movements between the Morris and Marshall subdivisions, which would remove seven to 10 trains per day from the Willmer Yard and city, thereby eliminating 14 to 20 trips per day into or out of Willmar, reducing the potential to block grade-crossings.

The partners had an unsuccessful attempt at securing a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant in 2014. The recently enacted omnibus spending bill makes $500 million available for TIGER grants in 2015.

The current funding breakdown holds BNSF responsible for 32 percent of the project cost, MnDOT responsible for 30 percent of the cost and the assumption that a TIGER grant would cover 36 percent of the project, with the rest to be made up by the remaining partners. However, local news reports state BNSF is considering increasing its financial commitment in order to strengthen the federal funding application.

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