Municipal Partners Program

Together, we can bring it back.

Extraordinary progress is being made to renew passenger rail service through the Northern Plains and Rockies!

To share more about this progress and what it means for cities and towns along the route of the former North Coast Hiawatha, Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (BSPRA) has developed a one-hour webinar, “Revitalizing Communities through Passenger Rail”  and held our first session on April 5th with more to follow. This webinar is a key event for local leaders: After decades of severe declines in passenger rail service in our region, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has selected the route of the former North Coast Hiawatha (NCH) as the first and only new long-distance passenger route in the nation to receive planning and design funds for the renewal of service.  This news creates opportunities to revitalize communities within the reach of the route.

 At the webinar, Big Sky Passenger Rail representatives will brief you and your colleagues on:

  • Further news on the progress being made to renew the NCH route—and the Big Sky vision for how this route can operate to meet 21st-century needs.

  • What this passenger rail progress means for revitalizing communities along and near the route.

  • How affected cities and towns can help to accelerate this progress and maximize the economic and social benefits of this service for their residents.

  • How the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority can serve cities and towns through its Municipal Partners Program.

This is an exciting and historic opportunity for communities in our region.  We look forward to exploring these ideas and possibilities with you.

Municipal Partners Program Overview Video

Municipal Partners Program - presentation

Brief Sample of Information Provided to Municipal Partners

Municipal Partners Program FAQs

Why should your community should become a Big Sky Rail Municipal Partner?

The short answer is that as a Municipal Partner, your community will be on track to secure the maximum benefits from the most exciting and transformational transportation project of this century for the Greater Northwest region of our nation. On December 8, 2023, the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority made history when the President announced that the former route of the North Coast Hiawatha from the Great Lakes to the Pacific was chosen for funding in the US DOT Corridor ID Program. This program will fund planning and design for the route across eight states linking hundreds of rural communities, Tribal nations, majestic National Parks and Monuments, seven top 100 metro areas, State Capitols, and more.

The news for our region is even better: this 2,000+-mile route is the only new long-distance passenger rail route selected for funding in the entire U.S.  Yes, this is history in the making. The best news of all: This passenger rail route will revitalize local communities, create jobs and business opportunities, and serve as a working tool for people to improve their lives—if communities act to fulfill the promise and possibilities this route will create.

How will the Big Sky Passenger Rail Municipal Partners Program help your community?

  • First, it will help expand the Rail Authority’s work advocating and developing this new route to provide the highest quality and most effective passenger service possible with the greatest positive impact on the quality of life, health, and prosperity of this region.

  • Second, it will equip the Municipal Partner communities with the knowledge and information necessary to ensure these communities maximize the potential benefits of passenger rail for their citizens.

What kind of support will Big Sky provide Municipal Partners?

The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority will provide to Municipal Partners:

  • Timely information on community projects and services and federal grant information that will ensure these communities can benefit the most from passenger rail. The support will cover items such as train station renovation or construction, transit-oriented developments, connecting services within communities and links to off-route locations, and economic development opportunities.

  • Exclusive forums and webinars—at least quarterly—for Municipal Partners to secure practical advice, advanced information, and community experience and knowledge regarding community projects and services related to the new rail route.

  • On-call support from Authority committees helping to develop the passenger rail service and making it meaningful and effective for local communities.