South Dakota Railroad Board Approves Special Transportation Circumstance (STC) Grant Applications

For Immediate Release:  Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023

Contact:  Julie Stevenson, Strategic Communications Coordinator, 605-773-2898       

PIERRE, S.D. – At the regularly scheduled South Dakota Railroad Board meeting held Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023, board members approved grant request applications for several projects for use of the FY2022 and FY2023 allocation of Special Transportation Circumstance (STC) grant funds. The STC grant program is offered through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program.

“The STC funds are dedicated to three states, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Alaska, who do not have passenger rail (Amtrak),” said Joel Jundt, Secretary South Dakota Department of Transportation (SDDOT). “The STC grant funds are dedicated to provide the financial resources to improve South Dakota’s freight railroad infrastructure, which is vital to the continued growth and development of our economy.”

In this grant application cycle, $58.8 million was available for allocation. Approved STC grant applications and federal funding amounts include:

• Rapid City, Pierre and Eastern Railroad ($14,062,328)
• Dakota, Missouri Valley and Western Railroad ($17,600,360)
• Belle Fourche Economic Development Corporation ($837,440)
• Dakota & Iowa Railroad ($9,957,245)
• Ringneck and Western Railroad ($8,310,932)
• Sisseton Milbank Railroad ($3,241,040)

The Railroad Board also approved an amendment to the 2020 STC Meet and Pass grant for Ringneck and Western Railroad in the amount of $797,353 in STC funds. 

The STC funds are non-competitive grants from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for the three states. Projects must still meet eligibility requirements. The federal funding share for STC grants is not to exceed 80% of the project’s total cost. The SDDOT will file an STC grant request on behalf of the approved requests. Applicants selected for submittal of a STC grant application to FRA must provide a fully completed grant application to SDDOT by Wednesday Dec. 6, 2023. Upon grant approval by FRA, SDDOT will administer the approved grants.

For additional information about the STC Grant application process, please contact Jack Dokken, Air, Rail & Transit Program Manager, via email at jack.dokken@state.sd.us.

Additional information about this round of STC Grant applications can be found here.

Information about the FRA’s grant application process can be found here.

About SDDOT:

The mission of the South Dakota Department of Transportation is to efficiently provide a safe and effective public transportation system.

Read more about the innovative work of the SDDOT at https://dot.sd.gov

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