A Large Gravel Pit Could Be Coming to Southeast St. Cloud
A large gravel pit could be coming to southeast St. Cloud. Stearns County Commissioner Joe Perske joined me on WJON. He says this proposed gravel pit is 680 acres and is right where the St. Cloud Area Planning Organization would like to bring a road connecting Highway 10 with a bridge across the Mississippi River. The APO has been requesting Federal dollars to build a bridge connecting the southside of St. Cloud to the southeast side of the city. The proposal would put it along 33rd Street South and connect it with Highway 10 on the southeast side. This would be part of a proposed beltway. Perske indicates the name of the company bringing the proposed gravel pit is Holcin.
The proposed gravel pit is currently agricultural land, according to Perske. Perske indicates the proposal asks for a 25-year commitment for this 24-hour a day operation. He says the proposal indicates they would have an estimated 240 trucks coming in and out of the property daily. Perske says there is a task force looking at the environmental concerns with such an operation. He says gravel is a precious resource and is often needed for construction projects in the St. Cloud area. Perske says the specific location the gravel pit is looking at is between Highway 10 and Country Road 8.
He isn't entirely sure that this gravel pit and a beltway/bridge couldn't exist at the same time. Perske says this gravel pit proposal is quite a surprise because they've been planning a beltway connection in this spot for many years. He says they've already secured funding to do some of the environmental work in preparation for the bridge.
If you'd like to listen to my conversation with Joe Perske, it is available below.
Come Visit Freeport, MN With Us in Pictures
More From 96.7 The River
