St. Cloud Prepares To Connect Downtown, SCSU, River with $6.4 Million in State Bonding Money

(KNSI) – Two projects meant to stitch downtown St. Cloud to St. Cloud State University and the Mississippi River are moving from concept toward construction, and the city is now filling in what the work will look like.

The Minnesota Legislature approved $6.4 million in state bonding for the pair of projects in May. That breaks down to $3.4 million for the 5th Avenue South Campus and Downtown Connection and $3 million for the St. Cloud Mississippi Riverwalk Connection. The City Council formally accepted the money this summer, clearing the way for design work to start.

The city is required to match the state’s share. That money will come from the transportation local sales tax, utility revenue, general obligation bonds and money raised through community partnerships. Combined, the two projects carry a price tag of $13.1 million.

The 5th Avenue South project covers the stretch between Division Street and University Drive, the corridor that links downtown to the SCSU campus. Plans call for a reworked street configuration with new traffic and bike lanes, sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, lighting, streetscaping and wayfinding signs.

City officials have described it as their top bonding priority, in part because 5th Avenue South was already scheduled for infrastructure work later this decade under the capital improvement plan. The project also includes street resurfacing and the removal of ash trees infected with emerald ash borer.

The city plans to take public input on the design through 2026 and 2027.

The Riverwalk Connection targets a section of shoreline the city says is dominated by roadways. The plan is to convert it into a linear park with room for walking, biking and recreation, creating a continuous route along the river linking St. Cloud Hospital, downtown and SCSU.

To make room, 5th Avenue North would be narrowed, freeing up space for shoreline restoration, a multi-use off-road trail, vegetated buffers and limited on-street parking. The city also envisions improved water access, educational programming, functional art and restored natural areas.

St. Cloud is framing both projects as economic development spending rather than street work. City officials say better public space lowers the risk for private investors, making it easier to fill vacant storefronts along 5th Avenue South, rehab historic buildings and draw restaurants and retail into the corridor. Along the river, the city expects the work to support tourism, recreation and housing.

St. Cloud State has already delayed demolition of several aging buildings while it waits to see how the 5th Avenue South corridor plan develops.

Construction on both projects is expected to begin in late 2027 and finish in 2028.

Separately, St. Cloud and Stearns County received $3 million in partial funding for the 322nd Street Regional Corridor Improvements Project. The city will lead construction on that work.

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