PORT OF NORTH DAKOTA is a Federal Trademark and a Registered name with the North Dakota Secretary of State for the future Intermodal Freight Terminal that will operate along the BNSF track directly west of Minot Milling on the west side of 54th Street in Minot, North Dakota.
The idea of developing an Intermodal Terminal in Minot began in the year 2000 with a group of interested Minot men. As the years passed, the dream became a project when the Mayor's Task Force for Intermodal Development was formed with Jay Fisher of the North Central Research Extension Center serving as the Chairman during the entire period and is still serving in the spring of 2006 as we approach our final leg before "breaking ground". Through the years, there have been 2 separate Feasibility Studies completed both proving that there is sufficient Agricultural Production in the 200 mile radius of Minot to sustain an Intermodal Terminal. Also, many, many national and regional conferences have been attended and much study and work has been completed with the BNSF Railway. Finally, in September of 2005 BNSF advised Mayor Zimbelman that the decision to allow service for an Intermodal Terminal was completed positive by inviting Governor Hoeven's Staff, North Dakota DOT, North Dakota Commerce Department, MADC Director Jerry Chavez and Mayor Zimbelman to meet them in Minneapolis, MN where they laid out the plans necessary for Minot to recieve rail service for the new Intermodal Terminal. Nearly all of the preparation was completed as of May 7, 2006 when Governor Hoeven, along with Mayor Zimbelman and the MADC Staff announced that a $1.5 million Federal Grant had been approved for the beginning infrastructure of the Intermodal Terminal. As of May 15, 2006, the beginning funds are in place and the agreements with BNSF are complete to proceed with the formal business planning and the engineering of the new Intermodal Terminal. There is aggresive hope that the Intermodal Terminal will be open and delivering Intermodal Containers to shippers in North Dakota by the spring of 2007 or sooner if all goes well. The Intermodal Terminal in Minot will enhance Economic Development for the entire state of North Dakota and the rural communities will realize a new revenue stream as they will be able to ship their Ag. Products to foreign markets at a competitive price and in a timely manner. Please continue to visit this web site and encourage others to follow our progress! |
