Railroad Right-of-Way:
Installing Utility Facilities

Guidance Handbook and All Letter Templates - This document explains the rights and obligations of municipal utilities and railroads under Minnesota law when utilities install facilities that cross under railroad tracks or run in right-of-way parallel to them for short distances. It also contains templates for letters a municipal utility can use to communicate with a railroad to address certain scenarios.

Current Standard Crossing Fees - Minnesota law set a standard one-time (not annual) fee of $1,250 in 2016 for installing utilities under or along railroad-owned right-of-way. However, that amount changes year-to-year according to a federal index. This document shows the current, calculated fee.

Letter Templates:

Proposed utility crossing

New utility crossing in public right-of-way

Termination of fee payments in public right-of-way

Termination of agreement and annual fee payments

MVRRA v. Hanson order (regarding compensation in public right-of-way)

Minnesota Statutes Section 237.045  (print and include with letters to railroads)