Совет Рочестера согласовал гибкий лимит в 19,9 млн долларов для моста на Шестой улице из-за риска сокращения федерального гранта

ROCHESTER — Local authorization for accepting a $19.9 million federal grant to fund Rochester’s Sixth Street bridge project has been revised to reflect a potential funding cut. “We are in final negotiations on the final agreement and want to make sure we have the needed flexibility,” Deputy City Administrator Cindy Steinhauser told the Rochester City Council on Monday. ADVERTISEMENT Initial council authorization for a grant agreement tied to funding announced in 2022 was made last month without council comment, but continued work on the agreement points to the potential for a $2.1 million reduction following federal-level review. Steinhauser said the hope is the full funding will remain, but the new agreement authorization changes the amount to “up to $19.9 million” to ensure it can be signed without added delay. The funds being provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation are a portion of the planned $36.8 million project budget, which also uses $5.9 million from the Minnesota Department of Transportation and $11 million in state Destination Medical Center funds. A federal reduction isn’t expected to automatically require added local or state funds, but Steinhauser said it would require re-evaluating conditions. “Any additional funding necessary to maintain the current project scope and budget would be brought forward for appropriate City Council consideration and approval,” she wrote to the council in a report ahead of Monday’s special meeting, which was held to meet a Sept. 1 deadline for the federal funding agreement. The creation of a new Sixth Street bridge over the Zumbro River is the focal point of a larger project that includes street changes along the corridor in an effort to increase safety while creating a new connection between neighborhoods and downtown. The project also includes improving access to the riverfront. While some aspects of the project have already been scaled back into a future second phase, Steinhauser said it’s unclear what a funding reduction could mean for the overall project. ADVERTISEMENT The city has already seen design costs increase with a modified bridge design that will include floodwall changes, but the project budget has remained steady in the process. Steinhauser said Monday’s updated council authorization is intended to keep the project on track, with initial construction of the bridge expected to start later this year. If the council had rejected the change, a potential funding shift would likely move the construction start into 2027, which would require updating the state’s transportation plan and could result in a $500,000 project increase. “If the only modification to the agreement is the federal funding amount, staff understands that the agreement would not require renewed review by other permitting agencies,” Steinhauser noted, adding that city staff is continuing to work with federal agencies to address the final award amount. “These discussions are ongoing, with the goal of preserving the full $19.9 million federal award while ensuring the city is positioned to meet the Sept. 1 deadline for execution of the grant agreement,” she added.