Our View: River's Edge ramp is finally on track
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Our View: River's Edge ramp is finally on track
1
Times Editorial
Board
11:55 p.m. CDT September 2, 2014
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It's far from as exciting (and expensive) as building
the new Vikings stadium in Minneapolis, but the city
of St. Cloud is on a similarly important track for
adding an asset that will make its downtown a more
(Photo: Kimm Anderson,
[email protected])
desirable destination. Finally.
The St. Cloud Planning Commission this month is
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
expected to review final design plans for the muchanticipated River's Edge Convention Center parking
Only 4 of 15 local lawmakers
ultimately voted for this
project last session
ramp. Assuming the plan is advanced by the
commission and approved by the City Council,
ground could be broken late this fall, and the project
Plans call for building the
ramp over 5th Avenue to
help traffic flow
could be mostly complete by the end of 2015.
To describe the ramp as much anticipated is an
understatement.
Ramp could be completed
by end of 2015
City and convention center supporters had to push
for eight years to convince a majority of legislators it
was worth state bonding dollars. Finally, last session, $11.56 million was approved
even though only four of 15 Central Minnesota lawmakers voted for the bill that
contained this project — Reps. Zach Dorholt and Tama Theis and Sens. John
Pederson and Torrey Westrom.
With that approval, the city is wasting no time drawing up plans. As Mayor Dave Kleis
told council members at a work session last month, the vision is to build the ramp at
Fifth Avenue and First Street North, behind Mexican Village. To minimize impacts on
traffic flow and improve ramp access, Kleis said Tuesday the plan continues to be to
build it over Fifth Avenue North. That design also means the ramp will not be the
tallest structure on the downtown skyline.
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Depending on costs, it would connect to the RECC by skyway, or the RECC would
expand toward the ramp to connect with it. Obviously, if the costs of a skyway are the
same as expanding the RECC, the best long-term choice is to expand the center.
Kleis reiterated the city will not spend more than the $11.56 million in state funds. The
Our View: Streets, roads fill
up — along with schools
Sept. 1, 2014, 11:08 p.m.
ramp itself is expected to cost $15,000 per stall, with a minimum of 400 stalls. Part of
the funds also cover about $1 million of work on a trail that will run along the river next
to the RECC as well as $1 million or more for utilities. Funding also will go toward
signage designed to tell drivers which of five municipal downtown parking lots have
spaces available, including how many at each.
http://www.sctimes.com/story/opinion/2014/09/03/view-rivers-edge-ramp-finally-track/14987549/[9/3/2014 11:35:37 AM]
Times Writers Group:
Here's to good
government!
Our View: River's Edge ramp is finally on track
Sept. 1, 2014, 11:08 p.m.
Again, it's good to see this project finally on track to become a reality. Eight years —
almost 10 by the completion date — is too long to wait.
Our View: Nation must
provide care to new
veterans
Aug. 31, 2014, 11:06 p.m.
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http://www.sctimes.com/story/opinion/2014/09/03/view-rivers-edge-ramp-finally-track/14987549/[9/3/2014 11:35:37 AM]