Latest news with #DestinationMedicalCenterCorp
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Added funding under consideration for Rochester's Link rapid transit project
Feb. 26—ROCHESTER — The state Destination Medical Center Corp. board is holding a special meeting at 1 p.m. Friday to consider additional funding for the creation of Rochester's Link Bus Rapid Transit system . The Rochester City Council is slated to review contractor bids for construction and other aspects of the project, which has had a $145 million estimated price tag. The project was awarded nearly $85 million in federal funding, with state and county DMC funds related to transit approved to cover the remaining anticipated costs. The federal grant led to the required addition of a $17 million contingency fund for the project, and Deputy Rochester City Administrator Cindy Steinhauser said some bids for work to complete the project, as well as land prices, came in higher than expected. The added expenses will require the DMCC board to approve additional funding from the initiative's transit reserves. The Rochester City Council is expected to review bids Monday, with the staff recommending rejection of some bids due to "irregularities and good faith errors." The council is also being asked to seek new bids for the project. According to the 2025 report to the Minnesota Legislature, the DMC effort secured $15 million in state transit aid and $22 million in county transit aid through 2024. It's a portion of the $69.6 million in state transit funding and $46.4 million in county funding expected by the end of the DMC initiative. The unexpected costs for the planned Link system isn't the first time the budget for the DMC-funded transit project has changed. In 2021, a proposed the U.S. Department of Transportation budget included $56.1 million, for the transit project, which had an anticipated $114 million price tag at the time. Less than a year later, project estimates rose to $146.8 million with an expanded route to create a western hub near the intersection of Third Avenue Southeast and Sixth Street. The potential budget could have been higher, with earlier proposals extending the north-south section of the route to the former Seneca Foods canning facility site near the intersection of Third Avenue Southeast and 12th Street. Other past plans considered before the current bus-based system was developed, included proposals for a ground level and elevated light-rail systems through downtown, with the bus option selected as a system that could provide flexibility if the route needs to change in the future. Link's current planned 2.8-mile route through downtown will include designated transit lanes along Second Street, between Avalon Cove Court Southwest and Third Avenue Southeast, as well as approximately four blocks south on Third Avenue. Seven transit stations are being developed. Planned locations are: * The planned West Transit Village development on what in currently Mayo Clinic's west shuttle lot on Second Street Southwest near Cascade Lake * Near the 19th Avenue Southwest intersection of Second Street * Near Saint Marys Hospital * Near the Sixth Avenue Southwest intersection with Second Street * Near the Second Avenue Southwest intersection with Second Street * Near the Mayo Civic Center * Near the intersection of Third Avenue Southeast and Sixth Street. The West Transit Village and Sixth Street Southeast sites will serve as endpoints to the dedicated route, with other stations offering boardings in each direction every 5 minutes during peak periods and every 10 minutes during other times, including weekends. Peak periods are expected to be from 6 a.m. to 9 a .m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, with service operations anticipated from 5 a.m. to midnight on weekdays and 8 a.m. to midnight on weekends. Service will be provided with specially designed 60-foot electric buses offering at-grade entrance, with rider amenities expected to include charging ports for cellphones and other devices. The system is being designed to operate without fares. The majority of operating expenses will be covered by state and federal transit funds, with Mayo Clinic agreeing to fill the funding gap for 20 years.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Peace Plaza paver plan moves forward with desire to do more
Feb. 20—ROCHESTER — A $175,000 plan to address pedestrian concerns in Peace Plaza is moving forward with Rochester City Council members saying more still needs to be done. "I think we need to move on and find a solution, find a new solution," Rochester City Council member Norman Wahl said Wednesday, asking for a more aggressive approach. Others agreed that a different approach would be preferred but cited limited funding for options that included pouring cement walkways along the north and south sides of the plaza. Deputy City Administrator Cindy Steinhauser said other approaches could cost significantly more than the $175,000 already approved by the state Destination Medical Center Corp. board and require up to 15 months of disruption along the plaza and First Avenue. "We have heard concerns from businesses about not impacting their front door, and we want to be sympathetic to that," she said, adding that Peace Plaza is expected to be one place downtown without extensive construction in the next year or two. She said taking smaller steps allows a chance to determine whether future plans need to be made for a more aggressive approach. The council voted 5-2 to support the staff plan, with Wahl and council member Shaun Palmer asking for a different approach. Council member Andy Friederichs said it's not ideal, but it's action headed in the right direction. "At this point, not having a great solution and a big bucket of money to throw at something, I I do feel its the best option at the moment," he said. The approved Peace Plaza effort project aims to expand the use of smooth pavers by replacing portions of Ann Hamilton's "A Song for Water" art installation , which features words with raised lettering that can be read when moving through the plaza. Steinhauser said the work is expected to be completed with limited disruption and continued assessment throughout the summer. At the same time, more analysis is expected to determine why pavers are shifting, since underground heating is expected to eliminate the effects of winter frost and other concerns. Steve Sampson Brown, Rochester's director of construction, said the additional study will help determine why pavers are shifting in Peace Plaza but not other downtown areas. He said it could be related to geological conditions or the fact that the plaza sees greater traffic and activity. In addition to resetting the existing smooth pavers and replacing some raised letter pavers, Steinhauser said work will include providing improved visual cues to distinguish between the wider walkway and the artwork, which will remain in the center of the plaza. Mayor Kim Norton said providing more obvious signals to indicate the pathways will guide pedestrian traffic in a way that is similar to what occurred before the Peace Plaza redesign. "When you had a big fountain in the way and green grass, everyone knew to go to the right or left," she said, referring to a larger fountain that occupied the plaza and turf in the middle of the gathering space. Steinhauser said the former design featured smaller walkways than what is currently in place next to the artwork, and the grass was more difficult to navigate with a wheelchair than the raised-letter pavers. She said the current design was intended to open more space and the planned improvements will make the walkways even wider, in addition to adding north and south pathways with the potential for getting closer to the plaza's water feature without crossing the artwork. Council member Dan Doering voted to support the plan, but cited frustration that more isn't being done to address community concerns. "The response I'm hearing from folks is that they want immediate action for a remedy, that this is truly an unusable space for them," he said. Steinhauser said the planned effort will provide the quickest response to start addressing concerns, with work to start as soon as the weather allows.
