MnDOT Moorhead to Duluth Corridor Crossing Elimination and Improvement Study

MnDOT Contract No. 1063579
Exhibit A; Specifications, Duties and Scope of Work
MOORHEAD-DULUTH CROSSING ELIMINATION AND IMPROVEMENT STUDY SCOPE OF WORK
PROJECT OVERVIEW
The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) will conduct a comprehensive planning study for the
Moorhead-Duluth Crossing Elimination and Improvement Study. The Responder will perform professional and
technical services to support MnDOT in fulfilling the study's requirements.
The Successful Responder will:
1. Conduct planning activities that identify existing conditions, alternatives and applications of best
practices, and opportunities to define and implement a multi-year, multi-phase program of projects,
policies, and procedures across the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Northern Transcontinental Line
including BNSF Staples, Brainard, KO, and Lakes Subdivisions between Moorhead and the eastern edge
of Minnesota. The project will develop a corridor project inventory and analyze rail crossings to suggest
measurable improvements in safety outcomes for motorists, active mode users and residents. The
Project will include evaluation of funding strategy recommendations and development of a corridor
project inventory for implementation.
2. Prepare recommendations to deter trespassing and unsafe motorist or pedestrian behavior using
industry-wide best practices across traditional media, social media, and other channels.
3. Prepare options for a programmatic approach for the implementation of a multimedia campaign that
speaks to specific existing and potential future conditions along the corridor.
4. Leverage industry-wide best practices to produce recommendations for enforcing existing private
property and traffic laws along the rail corridor by public law enforcement agencies. Specifically, the
Responder will identify: (1) patrol routes, frequency and necessary resources, and (2) potential
technology solutions for public law enforcement.
The study will be conducted in close coordination with the BNSF Railway Company, Amtrak, and the Federal
Railroad Administration (FRA).
PROJECT GOALS
The goal of this study is to identify existing conditions, best practices, and opportunities to define and
implement a multi-year, multi-phase program of projects, policies, and procedures across the BNSF Railway
between Moorhead and the eastern edge of Minnesota that drives measurable improvements in safety
outcomes for motorists and pedestrians while also taking steps to eliminate the incidence of trespassing.
Primary Objective: To create a feasible plan to allow for improvements at multiple at-grade crossings, which will
reduce rail incidents.
PROJECT TASKS
Task 1 Evaluate Existing Conditions along the Corridor
In developing the Corridor Plan, MnDOT will first evaluate existing conditions along the Corridor and expand
upon work done in previous statewide or corridor-level studies.
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MnDOT Contract No. 1063579
Exhibit A; Specifications, Duties and Scope of Work
Previous studies to be considered include, but are not limited to:
A. Minnesota Rail Grade Crossing Action Plan (2022)
B. Statewide Transportation Improvement Program
C. State Rail Plan (2026)
1.1 Identify Existing Infrastructure Conditions
Responder will identify and describe engineered infrastructure on the Corridor to create a comprehensive
profile of existing conditions on the Corridor. This section will describe:
1. Current physical infrastructure components that enable public mobility around / across the rail corridor,
including all public and private highway-rail and pathway-rail grade crossings and grade separated
crossings.
2. Planned and/or programmed infrastructure components that enable public mobility around or across
the rail corridor. Planned or programmed infrastructure components may be identified in various state
and local planning documents, such as the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).
Responder Deliverable: Assessment of existing crossings and existing conditions, including any already planned
infrastructure improvements.
1.2 Review and Analyze Data Responder will work to gather and present data from various sources, for the
years 2018 - 2025 inclusive, to create a comprehensive profile of existing conditions along the Corridor and
identify recurring themes and commonalities across incidents and geographies within the Corridor. Data sources
that may inform this analysis may include:
1. Traffic incident data from MnDOT and other Local Roadway Authorities
2. Highway-rail grade crossing accident/incident data
3. Trespasser incident data
4. Near-miss reports
5. Other public safety-related activity
6. Site visits, as appropriate
7. Stakeholder engagement and outreach
Responder Deliverable: Matrix of crossings and findings from this analysis
1.3 Identify Education and Enforcement Activities Responder will identify and describe active Education and
Enforcement safety measures in place in communities along the Corridor, consistent with the FRA's 3E
Framework. Such activities may include, but are not limited to:
1. Operation Lifesaver presentations
2. Media campaigns
3. Driver Education programs
4. Law enforcement activities
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MnDOT Contract No. 1063579
Exhibit A; Specifications, Duties and Scope of Work
Responder Deliverable: Summary of activities
Task 2 Identify Engineered Corridor Hardening Concepts Responder will work to identify - at a conceptual level
- engineering solutions to improve highway-rail and pathway-rail grade crossing safety and mitigate pedestrian
and trespasser safety concerns.
2.1 Concepts for Highway-Rail Mitigation Responder will perform a road network evaluation that considers
roadway functionality across and between
communities, and identify opportunities to implement improvements including, but not limited to:
1. Crossing consolidation, closure, and elimination
2. Grade separation of major roadways
3. Access control
4. Roadway relocation or realignment
5. Other enhancements
Responder Deliverable: Matrix of opportunities identified for each crossing
2.2 Concepts for Pedestrian and Trespass Mitigation Responder will identify pedestrian and trespasser
movement patterns near, across, and through the rail corridor to:
1. Identify common ingress / egress points
2. Develop infrastructure concepts that channelize / direct pedestrian traffic to movement areas outside
the current or future railroad operating envelope
Responder Deliverable: Matrix of pedestrian and trespass mitigations specific to each crossing
Task 3 - Generate Policy, Project and Funding Strategy Recommendations Based on evaluation of existing
conditions and corridor hardening concepts identified in tasks 1 and 2 respectively, Responder will generate a
comprehensive list of recommendations and public funding mechanisms for corridor public safety
improvements in accordance with the FRA "3E" Framework for specific implementation on the Corridor
3.1 Engineering Responder will identify conceptual opportunities for physical infrastructure components that:
1. Minimize or eliminate interactions between trains and vehicles or improve safety features of grade
crossings that facilitate the interaction
2. Minimize or eliminate interactions between trains and pedestrians at legal access points across the
railroad right-of-way and improve safety features of grade crossings that facilitate the interaction
3. Eliminate trespassing on the corridor through denial-of-entry and preferred alternative features
The identification of physical infrastructure components includes identification of the scope of the opportunity,
with a 5% - 10% conceptual design sketch, and programmatic cost estimate with contingencies applied
appropriate to the level of design.
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MnDOT Contract No. 1063579
Exhibit A; Specifications, Duties and Scope of Work
Responder Deliverable: Conceptual design and feasibility summary, including design sketches and cost
estimates
3.2 Education Responder will leverage industry-wide best practices to produce recommendations across
traditional media, social media, and other channels that deter trespassing and unsafe motorist and pedestrian
behavior. Responder will formulate options for a programmatic approach to implementation of a multimedia
campaign that speaks to specific existing and potential future conditions along the corridor.
Responder Deliverable: Options for a multimedia educational campaign regarding the corridor and potential
safety improvements
3.3 Enforcement Responder will leverage industry-wide best practices to produce recommendations for
enforcing existing private property and traffic laws along the rail corridor by public law enforcement agencies.
Responder will identify:
1. Patrol routes, frequency, and resources required
2. Potential technology solutions
Responder Deliverable: Enforcement opportunities
3.4 Funding Responder will identify:
1. Agencies, agency lead personnel, and funding programs that could provide funding for implementation
of all recommended solutions identified in this task. It is anticipated this will include state program
funds, federal program funds, and federal discretionary funds from the United States Department of
Transportation (U.S. DOT) and FRA.
2. Interagency communication plan to align findings of this analysis with other local, state, and federal
plans and programs.
3. Public communication plan to align findings of this analysis with local elected officials, local agency
leadership, nonprofits, special interests, and others who can champion the effort.
4. Conceptual Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) that evaluates the potential benefits resulting from the
reduction of safety-related incidents along the Corridor, as well as other potential benefits such as travel
time reduction, reduced vehicle operating costs, and reduced vehicle emissions.
Responder Deliverables:
1. Applicable funding opportunities/strategies
2. Communication plan for project champions
3. Conceptual BCA
Task 4 Develop Corridor Project Inventory for Implementation
After completing Tasks 1-3, Responder will develop an inventory of projects (Corridor Project Inventory) to
implement that will achieve desired safety outcomes. The Corridor Project Inventory will include the following
information for each potential opportunity:
1. Project name
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MnDOT Contract No. 1063579
Exhibit A; Specifications, Duties and Scope of Work
2. Brief 4-6 sentence project description
3. Project location, including:
a. Nearest city, town, or station name
b. Railroad mile post
c. Latitude/longitude coordinates
4. Estimated total project cost
5. Potential funding sources
Table 1 attached provides an example Corridor Project Inventory table format.
Responder Deliverable: Provide completed table as described above
Task 5 - Summary Report
The Responder will prepare a comprehensive final report summarizing the study findings, including all technical,
financial, and legal analyses.
5.1 Prepare Draft Report Compile and submit a draft report summarizing all tasks, findings, and
recommendations.
Responder Deliverable: Draft Summary Report by March 30, 2027.
5.2 Final Report Submission Incorporate feedback from MnDOT and submit the final report.
Responder Deliverable: Final Summary Report by July 30, 2027.
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