The Iowa Transportation Commission has approved a grant that will help fund a $700,000 railroad transfer station in Mount Pleasant. 

The transload station will provide a transfer point where cargo can be moved from a semi-truck to a train. The station will be constructed on Mapleleaf Drive adjacent to the railroad. The transload station will help lower bulk shipping costs for businesses and help attract companies to Mount Pleasant, according to Executive Vice President of the Mount Pleasant Area Development Commission Kristi Ray.

Burlington Junction Railways has been selected by the City of Mount Pleasant to construct, manage, and maintain the facility. The grant is part of the $1.4 million awarded courtesy of the Linking Iowa’s Freight Transportation System program. Construction is expected to begin this fall with a completion date set for spring of 2020.