Governor's Rail Safety Improvement Plan Includes Como Crossing
Proposal would require railroads to help pay for railway safety improvements
ST. PAUL, MN – Seventy-five railway safety projects – at Minnesota’s most dangerous and congested rail crossings – would be completed statewide, including the BNSF crossing at Como Avenue, if a proposal from Governor Mark Dayton is passed this session. Governor Dayton today revealed a comprehensive list of those specific projects, which were compiled by experts at the Minnesota Department of Transportation and chosen based on their levels of danger and congestion. State Representative John Lesch (DFL – St. Paul) voiced strong support for the new measures.
“We have increasing rail traffic and elevated risk because of highly volatile freight moving through the Como neighborhood,” said Rep. John Lesch (DFL – St. Paul). “These improvements are crucial, and I’m working with other local leaders and the Governor’s office to ensure that we have improved safety at rail crossings in our community, and better inspections of lines and cars throughout the state so that the trains coming through St. Paul are well-inspected and disasters are prevented. We must continue to expand this safety effort to crossings like the ones in our own backyard.”
Governor Dayton’s railway safety proposal would invest $330 million over the next ten years in the construction of safer railroad crossings across Minnesota, and provide additional bonding dollars to fund four major grade separations. The plan would implement new quiet zones in communities located along busy rail lines, provide better training for emergency managers and first responders, and hire a new Rail Office Director who would position the state to play a larger role in addressing freight rail service and safety issues throughout the state.
If passed, Governor Dayton’s plan would also provide local governments the resources they need to respond to local infrastructure needs caused by increased railway traffic. By modernizing property taxes paid by railroads, the proposal would provide $45 million every year for cities, counties, and townships to fund their own local priority rail infrastructure improvements. A comprehensive list of how much new railway safety funding each city, county, and township would receive under the Governor’s plan is available online.
“Over the last year, I have traveled across Minnesota and seen firsthand the very serious and costly challenges that increased rail traffic have thrust upon our communities,” said Governor Dayton. “Minnesotans did not cause these disruptions; they are not responsible for the endless barrage of dangerous cargo being shipped through their communities every day. The railroads responsible for these problems have a responsibility to pay for these essential safety improvements.”
What the Proposal Would Deliver
The Governor’s recommendations are based on the input of Minnesotans, emergency managers and first responders, and experts at the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Specifically, the proposal would deliver another 71 rail infrastructure improvements statewide, including the addition of improved safety at the BNSF crossing at Como Avenue in St. Paul. A comprehensive list of these projects, which were chosen by MnDOT experts based on their levels of danger and congestion. A comprehensive list of those projects is available online. Also included in the Governor’s plan:
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Better Training for First Responders – In order to adequately prepare for potential derailments or railway disasters, the Governor’s proposal would fund additional training measures for first responders and emergency managers across Minnesota. Specifically, this would include the construction of a new multifaceted training facility at Camp Ripley, which would simulate response scenarios related to the transportation and storage of hazardous materials, including Bakken oil.
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More Quiet Zones – The Governor’s proposal would also provide funding to help establish new quiet zones in communities located along busy rail lines.
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A New Rail Office Director – The proposal would hire a new Rail Office Director who would position Minnesota to play a larger role in addressing freight rail service and safety issues in the state. This would allow accelerated and expanded delivery of grade crossing safety improvements, expanded rail safety inspection, and enforcement of rail safety regulations and rail planning.
The Governor’s proposed railway safety improvements would be funded through increased assessments on Class I railroads ($33 million), state general obligation bonds ($76 million), and modernizing property taxes paid by railroads. This would expand the tax base for communities that are now dealing with increased rail use and congestion. Property tax modernization would provide $45 million in new annual revenues for cities, counties, and townships to address their local infrastructure needs. It would provide $21 million each year to help fund statewide rail safety measures.
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