MnDOT is dedicated to the efficient movement of freight and commodities within Minnesota, including the movement of freight by truck, rail, water, and air. The freight office is engaged in many activities related to both freight planning and operations.
In May 2026, MnDOT adopted the updated Minnesota State Rail Plan. The plan shapes the future of Minnesota’s rail infrastructure and investments and is part of the Minnesota GO 50-Year Vision for Transportation. The State Rail Plan builds on the Statewide Multimodal Transportation Plan and provides direction for the role Minnesota’s freight and passenger railroads will play in achieving the overall vision over the next two decades.
In November 2024 MnDOT adopted the Minnesota State Freight Plan. The plan is a federally required effort that envisions future needs to move goods and services to serve Minnesota’s economy over the next 20 years. It's vital to identify key investments in the freight system statewide and to better support the transportation of goods and services across modes. This update connects to previous statewide engagement efforts, including the Manufacturers’ Perspectives Studies and regional District Freight Plans. The Plan can be read online on MnDOT’s Minnesota GO webpage.
The Minnesota Highway Freight Program is a statewide competitive funding program designed to help meet the state’s freight transportation needs. The program funds projects that improve freight transportation safety, mobility, efficiency and access to freight facilities (via first and last mile connections).
Railroad companies, rail users, cities and counties can apply for grant funding to improve freight rail service that supports economic development through the Minnesota Rail Service Improvement Program (MRSI). For questions about the program, contact Meredith Alt.
The Freight Network Optimization Tool (FNOT) is a new tool that allows users to analyze and visualize the Minnesota intermodal freight network, and explore optimization scenarios for network improvements. For questions about the program, contact Andrew Andrusko.
