BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) has published an updated and, for the first time, combined State Freight and Rail Plan (SFRP).
This plan assesses the current conditions and performance of all freight transportation modes (highway, rail, pipeline, and air), identifies freight needs and issues, provides recommendations, guides the advancement of the multimodal freight transportation system, and serves as a roadmap for future investment.
“North Dakota’s future is strongly dependent on the movement of goods and commodities to regional, national, and global markets to support jobs and our quality of life,” said NDDOT Director Ron Henke. “This plan provides the foundation to guide us in making informed decisions to improve freight movement today and for tomorrow.”
Plan development began in April 2021 and was a collaborative effort of state agencies, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), local governments, private industry, trade associations, trucking companies, the railroads, Amtrak, community organizations, Tribal Nations, as well as the general public.
The plan is housed under Transportation Connection, the state’s long-range transportation plan. Transportation Connection has five goal areas:
- Keeping you safe
- Caring for what we have
- Connecting North Dakota
- Helping you get there
- Investing for the future
The SFRP elaborates on each of these goals in relation to the movement of freight, via all modes, traveling into, out of, within, and through the state.
The final plan, its appendices, and an executive summary are available on the project website: www.dot.nd.gov/projects/frp.
