Two Big St. Cloud Projects Are Moving Forward With State Money

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- Back in May, the Minnesota State Legislature allocated a total of $6.4 million in the bonding bill for two separate St. Cloud projects. On Monday, the city council will take the formal step of accepting those dollars, allowing both projects to move forward.

Get our free mobile app

The St. Cloud Mississippi Riverwalk Connection Project has a total cost estimate of $6.3 million. The city has been awarded $3 million in bonding money. The goal of the project is to reinvigorate the underutilized waterfront connecting St. Cloud Hospital, downtown St. Cloud, and St. Cloud State University. The project details include reducing the width of 5th Avenue North, developing a trail, and creating shoreline restoration and water access points.

The 5th Avenue South Campus and Downtown Connection Project has a total cost estimate of $6.8 million. The city has been awarded $3.4 million in bonding money. City documents describe the project as a transformative public infrastructure initiative that will create a safe, attractive, and highly connected corridor between downtown and St. Cloud State University. Improvements include a complete street reconstruction with on-street bicycle lanes, improved sidewalks, streetscaping, and wayfinding elements. The project is anticipated to stimulate economic development by encouraging redevelopment of underutilized properties, supporting mixed-use development opportunities, increasing taxable property values, and expanding commercial activity.

City documents indicate that the city's required local match for both improvement projects will be funded by transportation dedicated local sales tax, utility revenue, and general obligation infrastructure bonds. The final designs will be refined throughout 2026. Construction for both projects is expected to begin in the Spring of 2027 and be completed in 2028.