Big Sky North Coast Corridor ID Expects To Complete Step 1 Around May 2025

Consultants for the Big Sky North Coast Corridor ID program estimated completion of Corridor ID Step 1 in April or May 2025. This is the first of the seven Corridor ID routes affecting Wisconsin to estimate a Step 1 completion date.

Abe Zumwalt of David Evans and Associates presented the plan to accomplish Step 1 to the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority Board meeting at their Sept 7, 2024 meeting. The length of the corridor, over 2000 miles long, has a large number of stakeholders and requires outreach and coordination across six states. (up to eight states)

Three different firms will each work on outreach and coordination of two states. An Intergovernmental Consultation Council has already begun to coordinate input from stakeholders. The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority Board already includes ex officio members from counties, tribes, and host railroads, and Zumwalt noted that the Board’s prior outreach to stakeholders has sped up the remaining work on Step 1.

Corridor ID Step 1 is the creation of a budget and schedule for coordinating and writing a complete Service Development Plan in Step 2. The plan may then be used to prioritize FRA funding and implement the proposed service. Step 2 requires a 10% local match, which is not yet in place.