Midway Rd Railroad Crossings Elimination Planning Project
Overview
St. Louis County is leading the Midway Rd Railroad Crossings Elimination Planning Project. The objective is to eliminate the railroad crossings on Midway Rd (CSAH 13) located in the City of Hermantown and Midway Township. These railroad crossings are located at St. Louis River Rd (CSAH 19/CR 696) and in Adolph (0.2 mile south of US 2). Midway Rd serves 6,500 vehicles per day at both railroad crossings. Both railroad crossings serve up to 30 trains per day and are owned and operated by the CN Railroad.
St. Louis County completed the Midway Rd Railroad Crossings Exploration Study in 2023 that engaged with targeted stakeholder groups and the general public. The outcome of this study found broad support to proceed into a planning process for both railroad crossings.
St. Louis County was awarded $1,862,400 in funding from the Federal Railroad Administration through the in January 2025 to complete this planning project. St. Louis County also received state funding to contribute to the program match. The total planning project budget is $2,328,000. This is a planning project only. Construction funding has not been awarded to this project.
The outcome of this planning project will guide and support the request for funding to construct the recommended improvements.
St. Louis County has identified several issues related to the railroad crossings on Midway Rd:
- Traffic Safety: When a line of vehicles is formed to wait at a railroad crossing, also known as a traffic queue, there is a risk of a high-speed vehicle crashing into the back of the traffic queue. There is also a hill located approximately 0.4 mile south of the railroad crossing in Adolph that reduces the available stopping sight distance for northbound drivers to the back of the northbound traffic queue, increasing the risk of a high-speed vehicle crashing into the back of this traffic queue.
- Traffic Delays: The volume of traffic and trains causes significant travel delay for motorists on Midway Rd. This delay can be multiplied when vehicles are stopped at both railroad crossings. Traffic on Midway Rd is also impacted when maintenance is necessary at either railroad crossing. These delays also negatively impact response time for emergency response vehicles.
- Traffic Congestion: The short distance between the Adolph railroad crossing and Hwy 2 means there is limited storage capacity for southbound vehicles on Midway Rd which can result in vehicles backing up into the intersection of Midway Rd and Hwy 2.
- Railroad Crossing Safety: The safety performance of railroad crossings in Minnesota and St. Louis County demonstrates that railroad crossings controlled by signals and gates do not eliminate vehicle crashes involving a train.
- Freight Movement: Midway Rd serves thousands of trucks each day. Travel delay and safety risks increase the cost of freight movement and associated emissions. Midway Rd also serves as an oversize/overweight route that supports the Duluth Port.
Study Input
The study will invite input from the following stakeholder groups:
- General Public
- Trucking Industry
- Local agencies (includes representation from administration, engineering, maintenance, planning, law enforcement and emergency response)
- St. Louis County
- City of Hermantown
- Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT)
- Midway Township
- Duluth-Superior Metropolitan Interstate Council (MIC)
- CN Railroad
- Duluth Port
- Local businesses along Midway Rd
- Community Organizations
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Exploration Study - Public Meeting #3 Information
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Meeting Recording Link: Midway Rd Railroad Crossing Study 3rd Public Meeting (youtube.com)(External link)
Date/Time: Monday, December 4, 2023 at 6 pm
Meeting Location: City of Hermantown City Hall Training Center
This meeting included an in-depth discussion on the next steps we are planning for this project. See more information below for what was discussed at the first two public meetings.
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Exploration Study - Public Meeting #2 Information
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Meeting Recording Link: Midway Rd Railroad Crossing Study 3rd Public Meeting (youtube.com)(External link)
Date/Time: Tuesday, September 12, 2023 at 6 pm
Meeting Location: City of Hermantown City Hall Training Center
This meeting included an in-depth discussion on what the project team heard during the first wave of public engagement. See more information below for what was discussed at the first public meeting.
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Exploration Study - Public Meeting #1 Information
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Meeting Recording Link: Midway Rd Railroad Crossing Study 1st Public Meeting (youtube.com)(External link)
Date/Time: Monday, May 8, 2023
Meeting Location: City of Hermantown City Hall Training Center
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Phone 218-625-3873 Email lundv@stlouiscountymn.gov
What is the purpose of this planning project?
The objective of this planning project is to eliminate both railroad crossings on Midway Rd and thereby eliminate the associated traffic issues. These railroad crossings create traffic safety hazards and increase travel delay. The large traffic volume, high number of trains and proximity of both railroad crossings increase the potential for a serious crash and magnify the travel delay. The railroad crossings increase costs for the roadway users by increasing idling time waiting for a train and increased travel time cost for freight movement. The railroad crossings also will occasionally increase the response time for emergency vehicles such as fire, police and ambulance service.
What will this planning project do?
This planning project begin by assessing the baseline conditions on Midway Rd to estimate the total transportation economic cost of doing nothing to improve the traffic issues caused by the railroad crossings. This analysis will inform the magnitude of the problem. The planning project will then develop alternatives that are scaled to reflect the magnitude of the problem. The alternatives will be analyzed and compared to determine the recommended alternative. The final deliverables of the planning project will be a detailed layout of the roadway improvements, a preliminary cost estimate and completion/approval of the environmental (NEPA) document by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).
Does St. Louis County already have its mind made up regarding what to do with Midway Rd at the railroad crossings?
Not even close. While there have historically been suggestions to complete major improvements such as bridge overpasses or realign Midway Rd, St. Louis County does not have a conclusive idea or solution. This planning project will determine the recommended solution that will be implemented in the future.
Does my input matter?
Yes, your input matters. Without active participation by the local community, the Midway Rd of the future may not reflect the values of the local community.
How will you gain an understanding of the perspectives of key stakeholders and develop a consensus?
The key is intentional and thorough engagement. This planning project will be divided into four waves of engagement with key stakeholder groups including the general public. The first wave will focus on listening to concerns, issues and future visions of Midway Rd which will be summarized into the project’s purpose and need statement. The second wave will focus on the range of feasible alternatives that could be implemented and obtaining input on the values and trade-offs of each alternative. The third wave will focus on understanding the final recommendation and why it was selected. The fourth wave will focus on the final layout, property impacts, changes in access and next steps to implement the solution.
Does St. Louis County have a project programmed or dedicated funding to complete a major improvement project on Midway Rd related to the railroad crossings?
St. Louis County does not have plans or funding to complete major improvements on Midway Rd at the railroad crossings. St. Louis County does occasionally have projects to maintain the roadway pavement surface, railroad crossing surfaces or railroad crossing gates. However, these are considered maintenance type projects that do not include modifying Midway Rd in a significant way.