Cold Spring Discusses Possibilities and Costs of Downtown Upgrades [AUDIO]

COLD SPRING - The Cold Spring city council is looking to decide on a project proposal soon that would upgrade and improve the downtown area.

The Cold Spring downtown committee presented details to the council on Tuesday night.

The presentation focused mostly on improvements on Red River Avenue and highlighted improving streets/sidewalks, adding granite benches, more parking, and adding more trees and bike racks. The committee also discussed building granite gateway entrance signs to several city entry points to make the area more visual and welcoming.

The project would upgrade Red River Avenue in 2016 and Main Street in 2017. The rough cost would be slightly over $1,143,000. A large portion of the costs ($275,000) would be for the city to bury power lines on the Red River Avenue corridor.

The city also has the option to just do regular streetscape improves to the area for significantly less ($406,000) but without any new features or developments.

City engineer Brian Lintgen says the city now needs to decide if they appove the concept and will then need to find a way to pay for the project.

The city council will discuss the proposed project during their next meeting and may decide to take official action.