Minnesota Rail Safety Upgrades Pegged at $243M

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Minnesota transportation officials say it will cost at least $243 million to upgrade railroad crossings where oil trains from North Dakota pose a risk of explosions and fires.

The 2014 Legislature mandated the report, released Wednesday.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation says some of the state's highest-risk grade crossings are just across the North Dakota-Minnesota border on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe tracks running through Moorhead.

The report says another hazardous and highly populated area is on the BNSF line just southeast of Como Lake in St. Paul.

Reports say other hazardous grade crossings that would require expensive upgrades are in Willmar, Coon Rapids, Anoka, Perham, Benson and Ramsey.

The report says the costs for the most expensive projects range from $10 million to $50 million each.