District 4 Freight Plan

The Minnesota Department of Transportation’s District 4 is developing a regional freight plan to analyze long term freight needs of the region’s transportation system. This includes highways, roads, and railroads. The plan will provide a clear understanding of the District’s freight system, characteristics of local industry system usage, and freight needs and issues.

Plan one pager (PDF)
Draft District 4 Freight Plan (PDF)

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Visit our online engagement page to review freight recommendations and take our survey.

Working papers

Cindy Gray, Fargo-Moorhead Metro COG

Adam Altenburg, Fargo-Moorhead Metro COG

Wayne Hurley, West Central Initiative

Chad Kingstrom, Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission

Bryan McCoy, Headwaters Regional Development Commission

Brian Yavarow, City of Fergus Falls

Tim Erickson, Douglas County

Dan Peltier, BNSF Railway

James Krieger, Canadian Pacific Railroad

Rod C. Wiseman, Otter Tail Valley Railroad

Dan Zink, Red River Valley and Western Railroad

Harrison Weber, Red River Sugarbeet Growers Association

Mike Metzger, Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative

Vernon Pooch, Minnesota Farmers Union

Ken Foltz, Foltz Trucking

Clint Larby, BM Transport

Casey McGarry, D & M Industries

Cheryl Kuhn, Stevens County Economic Development Commission

Mark Wolter (Fargo), Metro-COG Freight Committee/Midnite Express

Nicole Fernholz, Alexandria Area Economic Development Commission

Annie Deckert, Greater Fergus Falls

Bobbi Retzlaff, Federal Highway Administration

Andrew Andrusko, MnDOT Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations

Robert Clarksen,MnDOT Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations

Mary Safgren, MnDOT District 4

Tom Lundberg, MnDOT District 4

Bryan Christensen, MnDOT District 4

Emma Olson, MnDOT District 4

Jerilyn Swenson, MnDOT District 4

Jane Butzer, MnDOT District 4

Nathan Gannon, MnDOT District 4

Trudy Kordosky, MnDOT District 4

Brian Yavarow, City of Fergus Falls

Todd Larson, Stevens County

Cindy Gray, Fargo Moorhead Metro Council of Governments

David Overbo, Clay County

Justin Sorum, Clay County

Wayne Hurley, West Central Initiative Foundation

Mary Safgren, MnDOT District 8 Planning

Jane Butzer, MnDOT District 8 Planning

Thomas Lundberg, MnDOT District 8 Program Development

Bryan Christensen, MnDOT District Public Engagement

Robert Clarksen, MnDOT Office of Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations

Kory Anderson, MnDOT Office of Transportation System Management

About District 4

District 4 covers west central Minnesota, and includes 12 counties: Becker, Big Stone, Clay, Douglas, Grant, Mahnomen, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Swift, Traverse and Wilkin. In District 4, the largest cities in the area are Moorhead, Fergus Falls, Alexandria, Detroit Lakes and Morris. The Fargo-Moorhead Metropolitan Council of Governments (Metro COG) serves portions of District 4.

District 4’s road network plays a significant role for freight mobility, particularly for moving manufacturing and agricultural goods. The only interstate highway in District 4 is Interstate 94 (I-94), and the District’s network of national and state highways serve as key truck corridors connecting the businesses with I-94. Highways 7, 9, 10, 29, 59, and 210 are all integral to supporting freight related businesses in the District. More than 500 businesses in the manufacturing sector and 400 trucking companies are located in District 4, and heavily rely on the safe and efficient road freight infrastructure.