COLD SPRING -- Good news for trail lovers in Stearns County. The ROCORI Trail Construction Board has announced they have bought about 33-acres of land to continue building the ROCORI Trail.

The land starts at 178 Avenue North between Richmond and Cold Spring and runs just to the east of the Sauk River in Cold Spring.

The corridor represents phase one of the three-phase project and cost nearly $1.3-million. It was purchased from BNSF Railroad.

Work to remove the railroad ties is already underway and the River Bridge and trail paving are expected to be done by the end of the summer.

The $2-million funding for this phase came from federal and state grants, the three cities, Stearns County and other donations.

Plans are to eventually link the rail to the lake Wobegon Trail to the north and the Glacial Lakes Trail to the west.

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