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.
The South Dakota State baseball team is fighting for its season today against Arizona State in the Lincoln Regional. The game is set for 2 p.m.
The No. 4 Jackrabbits (24-32) lost 4-1 to No. 1 Nebraska in the opening game. No. 3 Arizona State lost a 706 heartbreaker to No. 2 Ole Miss in the opening round in 14 innings. The game took nearly 5.5 hours and ended around 1:20 a.m.
Here’s how to watch South Dakota State’s win-or-go-home game.
Watch South Dakota State baseball vs … on ESPN+
South Dakota State vs. Arizona State baseball stream, radio
Stream: ESPN+
Radio: KJJQ 910 AM
South Dakota State vs. Arizona State time today
- Date: Saturday, May 30
- Time: 2 p.m. CT
- Location: Haymarket Park in Lincoln, Nebraska
South Dakota State vs. Arizona State prediction
Paul Cifonelli, Argus Leader: This was always a tough draw for South Dakota State, as I thought this was the toughest regional in the country. At worst it’s the third toughest, with Chapel Hill and College Station in contention.
The Jackrabbits do have an advantage since Arizona State and Ole Miss went at it until after 1 a.m. Both teams stressed their pitching staffs, and every at bat required intense focus. The problem is South Dakota State doesn’t have the same top-end pitching these other teams do.
If Drew McDowell pitches, the Jacks might have a shot here. Otherwise they’ll have to win a slugfest, and I just don’t like those odds.
Prediction: Arizona State 8, South Dakota State 3
MISSION, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – In rural South Dakota, miles often separate expectant mothers from healthcare.
“A lot of women out here are left without any maternity care options,” said Rachel Kocak.
In Mission, moms mark their due dates and calculate miles to the nearest delivery location. Rachel Kocak, expecting her third child, said one option just closed.
“We used to have a birthing unit, I think up until a couple of months ago, and they lost their OB. So, Winner is no longer delivering babies,” Rachel said.
Some mothers remember when they could reach the hospital within a five-minute drive.
“IHS, for tribal members, they don’t deliver babies out here or provide prenatal care,” Rachel explained.
Families hope to reach the hospital before the baby arrives.
“So women either have to drive to Valentine, which is about 30 to 35 minutes from Mission, they can go to Wanblee, which is on the Pine Ridge Reservation, or they have to go to Pierre, Rapid City, or Sioux Falls,” Rachel said.
And if the roads are bad.
“I think there are a lot of babies who are unintentionally born at home. So it’s a tough place, I think, for mothers,” Rachel said.
The March of Dimes breaks down government data, showing a large portion of rural South Dakota as a maternity care desert, requiring travel of 38 or more minutes to reach an appointment or delivery room. The infant mortality rate is higher among native American babies born, compared to other races.
Health Department maps show counties in medium blue have 56 infant deaths per 100,000 births. Dark blue counties have three times as many. Grants aim to increase the number of healthcare workers, and funding supports a doula workforce program.
Kocak would like to see doulas and midwives available.
“Great opportunity for anyone who wants to become a home-birth midwife out here. The birth rate is still, I’m not sure what it is, but it’s high. There’s still a growing young population, and just not enough people to help deliver the babies,” Rachel said.
If care were closer, the outcomes could be brighter.
“You know, having the support network can make a huge change in the lives of these young, you know, these babies and young mothers who are building new families,” Rachel said.
The South Dakota Department of Health released a statement to Dakota News Now, which can be read in full below.
The South Dakota Maternal and Infant Health Task Force was created in 2025 to bring partners together to help improve the health and wellbeing of mothers and infants across the state. Their 5-year strategic plan was recently released, which has three priority areas: postpartum care to improve maternal health; safe sleep education and prevention strategies to protect infant health; and systems of care work that improves access, coordination, and quality of care statewide. One of the strategic plan activities that is supported by Rural Health Transformation is the creation of Regional Maternal and Infant Health Hubs, which will create a hub-and-spoke network connecting hospitals, clinics, tribal health services, and community organizations. These hubs will improve care coordination, strengthen referral pathways, and expand access to services for families in rural and tribal communities.
Copyright 2026 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.
While the race to secure the nomination for governor has dominated the headlines ahead of the June 2 primary, Republican voters will also choose a candidate for one of South Dakota’s two U.S. Senate seats.
Incumbent U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds, who is seeking a third, six-year term, holds a comfortable lead over his GOP primary challenger, Justin McNeal, a Navy veteran and business owner from Rapid City, according to the latest poll from News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy.
Here is a recap of the two candidates along with their thoughts heading into the June 2 election. The winner of the Republican primary will meet Democrat Julian Beaudion and Independent Brian Bengs in the Nov. 3 general election.
Hometown: Fort PierreAge: 71Occupation: Insurance broker; businessman; former governor (2003-2011); U.S. senator since 2015In their own words:
Rounds provided the following statement to News Watch:
“Working in the U.S. Senate, I’ve stayed focused on results that matter for our kids and grandkids. That means keeping the government off your back and out of your business and wallet. That means keeping our communities safe and creating a business climate that encourages job growth to keep our kids in South Dakota. And that means safety through a commitment to our men and women in uniform.
This past summer, we worked with President Trump to pass the Republicans’ Working Families Tax Cuts legislation. Without Congressional action, the average South Dakota family would have seen a $2,500 tax hike this year. Our legislation not only prevented the largest tax increase in American history, but it also provided additional tax relief for hard-working South Dakota families. That includes no tax on tips, no tax on overtime and no tax on Social Security for nearly 9 out of 10 seniors.
We’ve accomplished some great things, but our work is not done. I am running for reelection to continue bringing results back home to South Dakota.”
Hometown: Rapid City (born in Illinois and raised in Texas)Age: 42Occupation: Business owner (Dakota BioChar); Navy veteran (2001-2007)In their own words:
“I’m feeling the people in South Dakota are ready for a change. The challenge we are running into is that not enough people know who we are, but as soon as they know who we are, it’s an easy decision for them,” McNeal told News Watch in a phone interview. “I don’t have millions and millions of dollars. I’ve been largely self-funding this race up to this point.”
McNeal, who is a licensed pilot, said he has flown his small plane to events throughout the state in an attempt to get his name out.
“I talk to people about the issues that matter and I tell them the biggest thing you can do to help me is tell 10 people about me and to go vote June 2. We need about 50,000 votes to win the primary,” he said.
McNeal is not critical of Rounds and conceded “he is very popular” but said Rounds has not done enough to tackle the country’s growing fiscal deficit.
“I don’t think Mike is doing a bad job. I’m just concerned with the federal debt and the people that got us into that mess are not going to be the ones to get us out of it,” McNeal said.
“This is going to cripple the country. It just seems like politicians are focused on what they can bring to their home district or home state. And the problem with that is every member of Congress is doing the same thing, so everyone is taking and taking without making sure we can pay for it.”
South Dakota News Watch is an independent nonprofit. Read, donate and subscribe for free at sdnewswatch.org. Contact politics and statehouse reporter Alexander Rifaat: 605-736-4396/alexander.rifaat@sdnewswatch.org.
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