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Economic development - Freight Railroad Preservation Program 

The Freight Rail Preservation Program (FRPP) provides grants to local units of government, industries and railroads for the purpose of preserving essential rail lines and rehabilitating them following purchase.

FRPP's role in economic development

FRPP provides grant assistance for the following types of projects.

• Acquisition of trackage needed to preserve rail service that would otherwise be lost. WisDOT, in cooperation with various rail transit commissions, owns approximate 450 miles of operating rail line in Wisconsin.
• Rehabilitate acquired trackage to allow a reasonable level of service. Recent projects include rehabilitation of the Horicon to Cambria line to maintain service to the Didion Milling facility in Cambria, an upgrade of the Janesville to Monroe line to handle the traffic generated by the Badger State Ethanol plant in Monroe, and improvements to the Janesville to Milton Jct. line, which is currently underway.
• Preserve railroad corridors for future rail service. WisDOT has worked closely with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and other entities to preserve rail corridors under the National Trail Systems Act (Rails to Trails). These corridors are held for future rail use while being used on an interim basis for a recreation trail or other transportation or recreational uses.
• Construct connections to reduce the cost of replacing lost rail service.

Eligibility and availability of funds

Funding for the FRPP comes from Segregated Transportation Fund supported bonding. The state budget authorized $4.5 million in new bond authority to fund the FRPP for the current biennium. FRPP grants can cover up to 100% of the cost of acquiring land and 80% of the costs of acquiring track and other improvements in an effort to continue freight service or preserve the opportunity for future rail service. Also, the program can cover 80% of the cost for rehabilitating rail facilities such as tracks or bridges on publicly-owned rail lines. 

Case studies

Freight Rail Preservation grants were used to rehabilitate the rail line to the Badger State Ethanol plant (pictured top right) in Monroe, Wisconsin. The ethanol plant invested over $50 million and created 30 new jobs and over 100 indirect jobs in the local economy. 

Grants are also being utilized at a new switching yard in Horicon. The new yard on the outskirts of the city will allow the Wisconsin Southern Railroad to switch large trains without blocking any of the city's crossings. The new yard will increase the efficiency in how the railroad makes up or tears down trains and improves safety in the community.

For more information, including a program application, see WisDOT's FRPP Web page, or contact Frank Huntington, Bureau of Railroads and Harbors, (608) 267-3710.

Questions about the content of this page:
Dennis Leong, dennis.leong@dot.state.wi.us 
Last modified: March 2, 2005