SF4861
Red wing prior appropriations modification
Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026)
Related bill: HF4918
AI Generated Summary
Purpose
Explain and adjust state funding for rail grade separation projects along crude oil rail corridors in Minnesota. The bill modifies prior appropriations to the city of Red Wing and adds or clarifies funding for Moorhead and Anoka County, focusing on safety improvements at rail crossings near Sturgeon Lake Road, 21st Street South, and Hanson Boulevard.
Main Provisions
- Reassignment and clarification of funds for rail grade separation projects:
- Moorhead: $42,262,000 for environmental analysis, design, engineering, removal of an existing structure, and construction of a rail grade crossing separation near 21st Street South.
- Anoka County: $14,100,000 for environmental analysis, design, engineering, removal of an existing structure, and construction of a rail grade crossing separation at Anoka County State Aid Highway 78 (Hanson Boulevard) in Coon Rapids. Any unspent portion may be used for other rail crossing design costs in Anoka County that are on the rail safety priority list.
- Red Wing: $14,762,000 for right-of-way acquisition, environmental analysis, design, engineering, removal of an existing structure, and construction of a rail grade crossing separation at Sturgeon Lake Road. The bond sale authorization and use of bond proceeds for this project are available until December 31, 2024. Unspent funds may be used for capital improvements to Sturgeon Lake Road in the rail grade separation area.
- Additional Red Wing funding:
- A separate $10,000,000 appropriation (from the 2020 Fifth Special Session) for Red Wing rail grade separation at Sturgeon Lake Road, added to the existing 2017 appropriation, as described in the new subdivision. This addition is specifically for right-of-way, environmental analysis, design, engineering, removal of existing structures, and construction at Sturgeon Lake Road, and is in addition to the earlier appropriation.
- Flexibility for unspent funds:
- For Moorhead and Anoka County, unspent funds from the described allocations may be used for other rail crossing design costs or other approved rail crossing projects on the rail safety priority list.
- For Red Wing, unspent funds may be used for capital improvements to Sturgeon Lake Road in the area of the rail grade separation project.
Significant Changes to Law
- Updates and combines prior appropriations from Laws 2017 and Laws 2020 to align funding for specific rail grade separation projects in Moorhead, Anoka County, and Red Wing.
- Extends availability of bond proceeds for Red Wing projects, with a deadline of December 31, 2024, and clarifies that the new funding is in addition to previous appropriations.
- Adds new funding amounts and redevelopment of the grant structure to include right-of-way acquisition and related activities for Sturgeon Lake Road in Red Wing, along with transferability provisions for unspent funds.
Funding Source and Timing
- Funding comes from bond proceeds in the State Transportation Fund.
- Availability for the Red Wing project is explicitly extended to December 31, 2024.
- The Red Wing component of the funding is in addition to the existing 2017 appropriation.
- For Anoka County and Moorhead, unspent funds may be redirected within allowed uses to support other rail crossing projects.
Key Locations and Projects
- Moorhead: area near 21st Street South.
- Anoka County: Hanson Boulevard (Anoka County State Aid Highway 78) in Coon Rapids.
- Red Wing: Sturgeon Lake Road rail grade crossing separation.
Contextual Focus
- The bill centers on safety improvements by separating rail grade crossings to reduce conflicts between rail operations and road traffic, particularly in corridors associated with crude oil transport.
Note on Implementation
- The bill specifies definitions of eligible activities (environmental analysis, design, engineering, right-of-way acquisition, removal of existing structures, and construction) and allows reallocations under certain conditions to maximize project progress and safety enhancements.
Relevant Terms - Rail grade separation - Crude oil rail corridors - Environmental analysis - Design - Engineering - Right-of-way acquisition - Existing structure removal - Construction - Sturgeon Lake Road - 21st Street South (Moorhead) - Hanson Boulevard (Anoka County State Aid Highway 78) - Anoka County - Moorhead - Red Wing - Bond proceeds - State Transportation Fund - Unspent portion - Capital improvements - Grants - Rail safety priority list
Bill text versions
- Introduction PDF PDF file
Past committee meetings
- Capital Investment on: April 07, 2026 15:00
Actions
| Date | Chamber | Where | Type | Name | Committee Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 25, 2026 | Senate | Action | Introduction and first reading | ||
| March 25, 2026 | Senate | Action | Referred to | Capital Investment |
Citations
[
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Cites Minnesota Statutes section 16A.642 to establish that the bond sale authorization and appropriation of bond proceeds for the rail grade separation project are available until December 31, 2024.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "16A.642",
"subdivision": ""
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Cites Minnesota Statutes section 219.016 to allow unspent portions of appropriations to be used for grants consistent with the bill's rail grade separation funding framework.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "219.016",
"subdivision": ""
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [],
"removed": [],
"summary": "Cites Minnesota Statutes section 174.50 to reference the bond proceeds account backing a grant to Red Wing for rail grade separation-related work.",
"modified": []
},
"citation": "174.50",
"subdivision": ""
}
]Progress through the legislative process
In Committee