South Dakota
Transportation Secretary throws cold water on South Dakota Amtrak expansion
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – While momentum for Amtrak expansion to South Dakota has been growing for months, the state’s Transportation Secretary is doubtful it will ever become reality.
No state official had commented on the Federal Railroad Administration’s Long Distance Service Study until Wednesday when Jundt addressed the topic during a State Railroad Board meeting, the first since the FRA released its third round of meeting materials.
“I’m just being as honest as possible here. I do not see any routes in South Dakota rising to the top from a high-priority standpoint. As you know, just the cost of physically doing rail in our state is very expensive,” Jundt said during Wednesday’s meeting.
MORE: Advocates: Proposed Amtrak service a big first step for South Dakota
Jundt was part of a 2021 study that concluded that South Dakota would not be a viable candidate for passenger rail expansion.
Jundt cited several reasons why the two routes going through South Dakota would be pushed back by the FRA in their final report to Congress.
The first is that much of the state’s current rail infrastructure would need to be upgraded to meet the FRA’s requested top speed of 80 miles per hour for passenger service. A recent project with the Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad upgraded 163 miles of rail from Fort Pierre to Rapid City at the cost of $82 million – $42 million coming from RCP&E, $22 million from a U.S. Department of Transportation’s RAISE grant, and an additional $20 million from the State of South Dakota.
“Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern’s line to go from 10 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour was quite significant,” Jundt said. “Just due to the fact of our expansive shales that we have in the state, and so I would anticipate that when they get to the point of physically putting a dollar value to this, it’s going to be definitely over a billion dollars, and more than that.”
Another reason why Jundt doubts passenger rail could ever be feasible in South Dakota is because of the state’s low population compared to other proposed routes in the study. He said when the FRA is looking at potential ridership in its ongoing fourth round of studies and stakeholder meetings, it will be hard to justify the cost compared to the number of travelers from South Dakota.
“Our anticipation is that the concept that they have out there, as they physically go through some of this, I would see a rate of return if that’s what they’re looking at and what ridership would be and everything else might be truly envisioned on this, is not going to rank as high as the other routes that they’ve identified,” Jundt said.
MORE: Considering economic pros and cons of potential passenger rail expansion
Those arguments, though, are at odds with Dan Bilka, President of the advocacy group All Aboard Northwest and one of the main driving forces behind bringing back passenger rail service to South Dakota for the first time since 1969.
Bilka said Friday that the funds for the projects are already planned and that if the State of South Dakota, as well as counties, cities and organizations, don’t voice their support, those funds would be lost. He said if Amtrak were going to come to the state, they expect the federal government to take a lion’s share of the cost.
“We’ll see what the final recommendation is from the Long Distance project team about what to pay for. Our personal take is that it should not be put onto the states or communities. Maybe they can ask for a local match, but it should not be burdensome, especially since we have not had passenger rail service here in South Dakota since before Amtrak service,” Bilka said.
Jundt also noted that if Amtrak were to come to South Dakota, the state would lose its Special Transportation Circumstance grants, or STC grants, that it receives from the federal government each year. South Dakota has been receiving those funds for some time, and those grants totaled about $27 million each in 2022 and 2023.
However, those grants would go away if the state received any sort of passenger rail service, whether it came from Amtrak or not. In its 2015 State Rail Plan, Minnesota lists a possible passenger rail line from Minneapolis to Sioux Falls as a future project. Should that ever become a reality, South Dakota would lose access to STC grants.
Bilka said it’s not a matter of if but when passenger rail service will eventually come to the state. He said South Dakota is actually missing out now by not being a part of the numerous rounds of grants released recently by the federal government, which could also be used to help pay for freight railroad upgrades.
“I can understand the concerns about the STC grants, but they’re missing part of the larger picture. We actually might be losing more money that way than the meager, token amount we’re getting through the STC grant program,” Bilka said.
He also argued that the scope of the survey isn’t just to see how many more riders Amtrak can garner by expanding. One of the focus areas outlined in the survey is to reach more people in the United States living in rural or disconnected areas and allow them to consider taking rail as a mode of transportation rather than just by car.
Bilka said internationally, passenger rail doesn’t make a full return on investment, but neither do highways or airports, all of which drive economic activity.
“There’s very few passenger rail systems that ‘make a profit’ from farebox recovery. That’s true for Europe, that’s true for Asia,” Bilka said. “But it’s the economic vitality that it brings to the communities, similar to our highway network and our aviation network that neither of them don’t ‘pay for themselves.’”
Bilka said if there isn’t enough support for South Dakota to be added to Amtrak’s network, those funds would only go back to states that already have extensive networks. He said actions like the resolution passed by the Rapid City Council helps show that support, and he argued that money spent in South Dakota will go much farther towards meaningful growth than going back to more populated areas.
“I would, personally, would rather have some of that money come out our way than have it all get gobbled up by California and the Northeast Corridor. Let’s say if it is a billion or maybe two billion dollars to upgrade the line for the route across the state from the Twin Cities to Denver. That should not be a sticker amount we should be so adverse to at that point,” Bilka said. “Especially with what the [SDDOT] bringing up about the STC grants, I don’t think in the history of the STC grant program we’ve ever received anything close to that.”
MORE: Thune weighs in on Amtrak expansion to South Dakota
The final round of meetings the FRA plans for its study is due to take place near the end of next month, with a final report expected to come sometime in the middle of June. Along with that will come preferred routes, funding sources, and a cost and public benefit analysis.
Copyright 2024 KSFY. All rights reserved.
(SOUTH DAKOTA SEARCHLIGHT) – Democrats are running for 46 of South Dakota’s 105 legislative seats — leaving 56% of seats without a Democratic candidate.
That doesn’t bode well for the party ahead of November, said Michael Card, professor emeritus of political science at the University of South Dakota.
“It doesn’t put them in a position to actually put forward their ideological policy preferences and have much of a success at getting those enacted,” Card said.
In the state Senate alone, Democrats have failed to field a candidate for 22 seats, which is nearly two-thirds of the chamber. In the House, Democrats have failed to field a candidate for 38 seats, which is 54% of the chamber.
There is only one Democratic legislative primary in the state: a state Senate race in District 26, which includes the Rosebud Reservation.
There are no statewide Democratic primaries, after announced candidates for governor and U.S. House dropped out or failed to gather enough petition signatures to make the ballot, leaving one Democrat in each of those races.
Statewide candidates will have less name recognition than Republican candidates ahead of the general election, since they didn’t have primaries, Card said. In the Legislature, Card said Democrats “are guaranteeing they won’t get a majority.”
In contrast, Republicans have primary races for governor, U.S. House and U.S. Senate. Five legislative districts do not have Republican primaries, but do have Republican candidates. There is a Republican candidate running for every legislative seat, except for one House seat in District 27, which includes the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Card said there are several factors leading to poor candidate turnout among Democrats, including a self-fulfilling cycle of failure.
“A lack of winning makes fewer people willing to take a chance on running for office,” Card said. “Why run if I think I’m going to lose?”
Democrats haven’t held a statewide office since 2015, and they haven’t held a majority of either legislative chamber since 1994.
Joe Zweifel, deputy executive director of the South Dakota Democratic Party, said the organization worked “really, really hard” to convince Democrats to run for office.
“But you can’t force people to run for office,” said Zweifel, of Sioux Falls, who’s running for a legislative seat himself in District 12.
He’s heard the open seats called a “failure.” But he disagrees, choosing to focus on the Democrats who did step forward.
“We’re running quality, good candidates in those races,” Zweifel said.
The South Dakota Democratic Party hopes to build on legislative successes, such as a new law from Rep. Kadyn Wittman, D-Sioux Falls, that commits state funding to cover the family portion of reduced-price school meals.
“That specifically is a return on investment for our donors, and it shows that Democrats are doing good things for the people of South Dakota,” Zweifel said.
Wittman’s success helped inspire Democratic District 13 House of Representatives candidate Ali Rae Horsted, of Sioux Falls, to take a second run at the Legislature. Horsted ran unsuccessfully for the Senate against Sen. Sue Peterson in 2024, garnering 42% of the vote.
Horsted plans to build on that success and the name recognition she already has in the district. She hopes she’ll have “better odds” in this election, since there are two House seats for every district.
Horsted said it would better serve South Dakota if the state had a more balanced Legislature. While the latest Legislature was 92% Republican, 52% of voters in South Dakota are Republican. South Dakota has the lowest percentage of Democrats, 7.6%, in the Legislature nationwide.
“I think it’s important that people have options on the ballot,” Horsted said, “and people are able to vote for candidates that represent their values and their vision for the future of South Dakota.”
Makenzie Huber is a lifelong South Dakotan who regularly reports on the intersection of politics and policy with health, education, social services and Indigenous affairs. Her work with South Dakota Searchlight earned her the title of South Dakota’s Outstanding Young Journalist in 2024, and she was a 2024 finalist for the national Livingston Awards.
South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
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Copyright 2026 KOTA. All rights reserved.
From East River to West River, South Dakota communities share a common goal: creating places where people of all ages can live, work and thrive. AARP’s Domains of Livability provide a framework to help communities do just that. Through the AARP Community Challenge grant program—designed to spark quick, impactful local projects—South Dakota communities are turning big ideas into visible, people-centered improvements.
Read the South Dakota Community Challenge Grant Report, which showcases grant-funded projects across the state designed to build more livable communities.
What Are AARP’s Domains of Livability?
AARP’s approach to livable communities is rooted in eight interconnected domains that together support quality of life at every age:
- Outdoor Spaces and Buildings – Safe, accessible parks, streets and public buildings
- Transportation – Affordable, accessible options for getting around
- Housing – A range of choices that support independence
- Social Participation – Opportunities to connect, learn and have fun
- Respect and Social Inclusion – Communities that value people of all backgrounds and ages
- Civic Participation and Employment – Meaningful ways to engage and contribute
- Communication and Information – Clear, accessible ways to stay informed
- Community Support and Health Services – Access to services that support well-being
These domains work best when addressed together—something South Dakota communities are embracing.
Turning Vision into Action with Community Challenge Grants
AARP Community Challenge grants fund short-term, “quick-action” projects that can ignite long-term change. Across South Dakota, these grants have helped communities pilot ideas, build momentum and demonstrate what’s possible when residents put people first.
Here’s how local projects are bringing the Domains of Livability to life:
- Outdoor Spaces and Buildings: Communities have used grants to enhance parks, create pop-up public spaces, add benches and shade and install wayfinding signs. These improvements invite people to linger, gather, and enjoy shared spaces—supporting both physical activity and social connection.
- Transportation: Small, thoughtful transportation projects can make a big difference. Community Challenge grants have supported safer crossings, improved walkability and bikeability around key destinations and the planning or installation of transit amenities like shelters and seating—especially important for older adults and people with mobility challenges.
- Housing and Community Support: Some projects focus on helping residents age in place by improving access to information about home modification resources or by testing neighborhood-level solutions that connect people to services. These efforts strengthen independence and peace of mind.
- Social Participation and Inclusion: Murals, community events and creative placemaking projects funded by AARP grants have sparked community pride and social connection. By involving residents in design and implementation, these projects foster respect, inclusion and a strong sense of belonging across generations.
- Communication, Civic Participation and Opportunity: From hosting community conversations to creating new tools for sharing local information, South Dakota communities are using grants to engage residents in shaping their future. These efforts elevate local voices and encourage ongoing civic participation.
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