St. Cloud to Transform 22nd Street into Modern Urban Corridor

(KNSI) – A long-awaited infrastructure project is coming to St. Cloud’s south end, as the city prepares to completely transform a rural road into a modern urban corridor.

Mayor Jake Anderson told KNSI the work will lead to some disruptions for drivers, but residents living along the route have been waiting for upgrades. “This year will be the year we finally do 22nd Street from Cooper Avenue across to Oak Grove Road. So that’ll be a significant project that will be a pain while it’s going on, because that is one of the only east-west connections through there. But that’ll be a big change coming for this season and into 2027.”

The $6.6 million project will include new curb and gutter, storm drainage systems, bicycle lanes, and sidewalks. The reconstruction will also include installing a water main transmission line and upsizing the water distribution main to meet the needs of St. Cloud’s growing southern neighborhoods. The city has secured $2.34 million in federal grant funding for the project, with the remaining costs covered through a combination of municipal state aid, special assessments, utility revenue, and general revenue bonds.

However, federal funding comes with requirements. The city must coordinate with the Minnesota Department of Transportation to ensure compliance with the Endangered Species Act. To protect the northern long-eared bat, tree clearing work must be completed before March 31st, before the bats emerge from hibernation and begin using the trees for roosting. The city has already awarded the tree removal contract.

According to the St. Cloud City Council, the project aligns with the city’s goal to improve core neighborhoods and transportation infrastructure.

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