Transportation Improvement Program December 2024 - February 2025 Amendment Survey

The Saint Cloud Area Planning Organization (APO) is in charge of developing a Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The TIP is a federally mandated, annually prepared document that contains highway, transit, and other transportation projects for which federal funds are programmed during a four-year period within the metropolitan area.

The City of Sauk Rapids, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Benton County, Saint Cloud Metro Bus, and the City of Sartell have requested changes the 2025-2028 TIP. The APO is seeking your opinion on these proposed changes to the document.

Thank you for your input!
City of Sauk Rapids
Sauk Rapids Second Avenue S sidewalk construction 191-090-003
Location of the Sauk Rapids Second Avenue S sidewalk project.
1.The City of Sauk Rapids is proposing to INCREASE the estimated project cost of its 2026 sidewalk construction on Second Avenue S between Benton Drive and Sixth Street S. The city had originally estimated the project cost to be $737,834. However, according to the city engineer, additional water main work will need to occur in the project area -- particularly underneath the railroad tracks. As a result, the City of Sauk Rapids is proposed to increase the estimated project cost to $900,000. The city will still receive $590,267 in federal funding to complete the project (to be reimbursed in FY 2028). But the local contribution for this project has INCREASED by $162,166 to $309,733.

How do you feel about this proposed change?
Minnesota Department of Transportation
MnDOT electric vehicle (EV) charging stations 8823-450
Possible locations for the installation of an EV charging station along the I-94 corridor.
2.The Minnesota Department of Transportation had conducted a solicitation to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure along Interstate 94 as part of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure – or NEVI – Program in 2024.

Within the Saint Cloud APO’s planning area, the state had identified several potential locations along I-94, but ultimately had conditionally awarded a contract to a private company to install an EV charging station at the AmericInn near I-94 exit at McStop – Exit 171.

However, over the past several months, the company originally awarded the funding to complete this project would not be able to successfully fulfill all the requirements of this federal grant program. As a result, the state is hoping to rebid this project. This means, the state is hoping to once again ADD an EV charging station project to the APO’s 2025-2028 TIP.

Similar to last year, the state is uncertain of which location within one mile of I-94 will be selected. But per the requirements of the federal NEVI program, the following exits are considered in the running for this 2025 project:

o Exit 164A and 164B: The interchange of I-94 and MN 23 near the Loves Travel Plaza.

o Exit 167A and 167B: The interchange of I-94 and MN 15.

o Exit 171: The interchange of I-94 and Stearns CSAH 75/Roosevelt Road near McStop.

o Exit 173: The interchange of I-94 and Opportunity Drive.

The state is estimating construction of this EV charging station to be approximately $820,000. A total of $656,000 will come from federal funding through the NEVI program. The remaining funds -- $164,000 - will be split evenly between the state and the prospective grantee.

How do you feel about this proposed change?
WACOSA vehicle purchase TRF-9503-25A
The logo for WACOSA
3.WACOSA, a Waite Park-based non-profit that works with adults with disabilities, is requesting to purchase a minivan as part of its service expansion in 2025. This will result in MnDOT, on behalf of WACOSA, needing to ADD this project to the APO's FY 2025-2028 TIP. Per the MnDOT's Office of Transit and Active Transportation, the anticipated cost of this vehicle purchase will be $90,000 with $72,000 coming from federal funding through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the remaining $18,000 coming from local funding sources.

How do you feel about this proposed change?
A Home for the Day vehicle purchase TRF-9136-25
The logo for A Home for the Day
4.A Home for the Day, a Saint Cloud-based organization providing daytime senior care services, is requesting to purchase a minivan as part of its service expansion in 2025. This will result in MnDOT, on behalf of A Home for the Day, needing to ADD this project to the APO's FY 2025-2028 TIP. Per the MnDOT's Office of Transit and Active Transportation, the anticipated cost of this vehicle purchase will be $90,000 with $72,000 coming from federal funding through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the remaining $18,000 coming from local funding sources.

How do you feel about this proposed change?
Benton County
Benton County CSAH 29 corridor extension 005-596-006
Location of the CSAH 29 extension in Benton County between CSAH 1 and CSAH 3.
5.In 2024, Benton County was the recipient of $5 million in Congressionally Directed Spending to be used to complete the CSAH 29 corridor extension between CSAH 1/Mayhew Lake Road and CSAH 3/Golden Spike Road in Sauk Rapids.

This connection would serve as part of Benton County’s portion of the regional urban arterial beltline concept – providing a bypass route around the core metro area.

In total, the county had estimated the cost to complete this 2026 project to be approximately $6.25 million – which included the Congressionally Directed Spending dollars plus the local dollars needed to leverage the federal funding.

However, updated cost estimates from the Benton County engineer now predict the cost to complete this project will be closer to $8 million. As a result, the county is requesting to INCREASE the estimated project cost to reflect the additional $1.75 million the county will need to come up with in order to complete this project.

How do you feel about this proposed change?
Saint Cloud Metro Bus
Metro Bus Northstar Commuter Bus Operating Budget TRF-0048-25C (photo courtesy Saint Cloud Metro Bus)
Photo of a Northstar Commuter Bus (photo courtesy Saint Cloud Metro Bus)
6.Metro Bus is responsible for providing commuter bus services between Saint Cloud and Big Lake in relation to the Northstar Commuter Rail line. Working in partnership with Twin Cities’ based Metro Transit, Metro Bus provides that connecting link for passengers needing to head down to or return from Minneapolis – or some of the other stops along the corridor.

Given the ongoing reduction in rail service after the COVID-19 pandemic along with staffing/operational challenges faced by Metro Bus in operating its existing fixed route and paratransit – or Dial-a-Ride – services, Metro Bus has suspended operation of the Northstar Commuter Bus service for weekends and special events. While the bus still does provide the connection during the week, bus services for events like the Vikings or Twins games on the weekends have not resumed.

As a result, Metro Bus is proposing to DECREASE the operating budget for the Northstar Commuter Bus Service from $1,486,250 to $734,500. Funds for Northstar Commuter Bus operations are local dollars.

How do you feel about this proposed change?
City of Sartell
City of Sartell Heritage Drive Trail and Riverview Intermediate School sidewalks 220-090-005
Location of Heritage Drive trail (left) and Riverview Intermediate School sidewalks (right)
7.The City of Sartell is slated to complete the connection of the Heritage Drive shared use path (between Amber Avenue and CSAH 1) as well as construct some sidewalk connections at Riverview Intermediate School during the 2026 construction season. However, during this past year, the City was a recipient of funding through the Minnesota Active Transportation (AT) Infrastructure grant program. This funding can be used to cover some of the local share required to leverage the federal funding associated with this project.

The state's AT grant requires projects to be completed by no later than 2026 or risk losing the funding. In order to ensure the city does not lose out on the funds, the city engineer is requesting to ADVANCE this project to 2025. The project cost -- $637,900 -- is not anticipated to change.

How do you feel about this proposed change?
8.If you would like to be kept informed about the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) or other APO planning activities, please enter your email below. The APO DOES NOT sell or provide your personal information to anyone else, ever.
The following questions are OPTIONAL, but completing them will help us understand if we are reaching all segments of the population.
9.What is your gender?
10.In what city do you reside?
11.What is your age?
12.With what ethnicity do you most identify? 
13.How many people live in your household?
14.What was your total household income last year?
15.Do you have a physical disability?
16.Where were you born?
17.What is the primary language spoken in your home?
Current Progress,
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