Property & Roads

Southwest Beltline FAQs

The Southwest Beltway Scoping Study is a first step toward developing a future transportation corridor. It is an outgrowth of agencies and communities seeking improved transportation mobility and accessibility in the greater St. Cloud Metropolitan Area.

The proposed Southwest Arterial is part of a larger arterial ring-system concept that will link communities such as St. Cloud, St. Joseph, Sartell, Waite Park, and Sauk Rapids. The road would become future Stearns County State Aid Highway 84.

The study will make use of information developed previously including the pre-cursor study St. Cloud Southwest Arterial Alignment Study from 2001, and ongoing studies such as the 33rd Street Corridor Study. Links to both of these studies can be found on the Study home page.

The goal of the scoping process is to:

• Identify a range of alternatives,
• Document the project's purpose and need,
• Identify issues to addressed in the environmental impact statement (EIS), and to
  
• Assess alternatives considered feasible for further evaluation in the EIS process.

The scoping process provides an opportunity for the public and agencies to participate in developing the project's purpose and need statement, and in identifying feasible alternatives.

In general, the study area extends west from St. Cloud and Waite Park, north from I-94, south from St. Wendel and LeSauk Townships, and east from St. Joseph's existing urbanized area.

More specifically, the corridor extends 33rd Street South from 1/8 mile west of Trunk Highway 15 north/northwest to the intersection of CSAH 4 and CSAH 133. Our Maps page shows this area in more detail.

The southwest portion of the St. Cloud Metropolitan Area, including the cities of St. Joseph and Waite Park and St. Joseph Township, is experiencing population growth and development pressure. The cities of St. Joseph and Waite Park are expected to expand toward one another; the City of St. Joseph is expanding to the east and northeast, and the City of Waite Park is expanding to the west and south. We can see evidence of these growth patterns in demographic statistics such as population and employment growth, in City of St. Joseph and City of Waite Park annexation plans, and in city services and recent developments within the project area.

There is a need to preserve a roadway corridor now in response to these growth patterns, both to minimize future impacts and costs that can occur when a new roadway is constructed through a previously developed area, and so that development can occur in an organized and thoughtful way.

The Southwest Beltway Scoping Study is an initial step toward developing this future transportation corridor and toward securing state and federal funding. The study area also includes important environmental resources such as the Sauk River, floodplains, wetlands, and other natural and cultural resources that need to be identified early in the planning process to make efforts to avoid significant impacts.

Based on information gathered from previous studies and a review of travel demand forecasts, we can summarize the transportation need for the project:

1. Vehicle Trip Generation and Distribution: The number of daily vehicle trips is forecast to increase substantially to and from the Waite Park and St. Joseph growth areas based on planned, future land uses. A majority of these trips are forecast to travel within the growth area between the cities of Waite Park and St. Joseph (i.e., internal trips).
2. Existing Transportation System: The existing transportation network accommodates vehicle trips entering, exiting and passing through the St. Cloud Metropolitan Area, or accommodates trips on the periphery of the Southwest Beltway project area. There is no continuous east-west roadway between TH 23 and TH 15 in the Waite Park growth area, and no continuous north-south roadway between TH 23 and CSAH 4/133 in the St. Joseph growth area.
3. Serve Forecast Travel Demand: The future, un-served travel demand in the project area is vehicle trips within the growth area between the cities of Waite Park and St. Joseph. There is no roadway in the existing network that connects the east and west ends of the Waite Park growth area. In addition, there is no continuous connection between the north and south ends of the St. Joseph growth area. As such, a roadway is needed that will serve the forecast increases in travel demand within the project area.
   

We should meet this need in a manner that is consistent with additional goals and objectives established for the project, including:

• consistency with system spacing guidelines for the St. Cloud Metropolitan Area,
• providing connectivity to existing regional transportation facilities,
• providing accessibility for future planned land uses, 
• consistency with state, regional, and local plans, and 
• avoiding or minimizing impacts to key social, economic, and environmental resources within the project area.
  

Based on the St. Cloud Area Planning Organization’s 2030 St. Cloud Metropolitan Transportation Plan, the Southwest Beltway, when completed, will be part of a larger arterial ring-road concept that links all of the metropolitan communities.

In addition to the need to preserve a corridor for future use, this future roadway should function to appropriately balance the mobility and accessibility needs of local communities.

The first phase, preparing a final scoping document is awaiting approval from the Federal Highway Administration.

The second phase,the process of preparing an EIS scoping document, includes substantial coordination with agencies such as the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), Federal Highway Administration, and federal, state and local regulatory agencies, so it's more difficult to fit that phase into a strict timeline.

Three major products will result from the scoping process:

1. Publication of a Scoping Document/Draft Scoping Decision Document: The Draft Scoping Document will describe the project purpose and need, identify roadway corridor alternatives, and identify issues to be addressed in the EIS.
2. Public Scoping Meeting: This meeting will allow citizens to review and comment on the Scoping Document.
3. Publication of the Scoping Decision Document: The Scoping Decision Document will identify the alternatives and issues to be addressed in the EIS.
   

When the scoping process is complete, we anticipate that an EIS will be prepared. A preferred alternative will be identified at the completion of the EIS process. The EIS process will start following the conclusion of the Scoping Study and could last up to 3 to 4 years.

Only a segment of the Southwest Beltline is programmed for construction in the St. Cloud APO’s financially constrained 20-year transportation plan, due to development and unique environmental issues. However, selecting and preserving a future corridor soon will allow affected local jurisdictions to protect the roadway alignment from encroaching land uses or non-compatible development.

See a more complete Anticipated Schedule on our home page

The Advisory Committee helps guide and direct the process, and provides advice on technical analysis, presentation materials, study findings and recommendations. The Committee will also provide a network to keep local leaders informed.

The Committee is made up of both elected and technical representatives of the affected jurisdictions:

Public input is strongly encouraged during the Scoping Study process, so that we can avoid or minimize future impacts in this important transportation corridor, and so that development can occur in an organized and thoughtful way.

The public can provide input by participating in the open house meetings. If you cannot attend the open house meetings, you can refer to the meeting information published online afterwards. You may also contact Mitch Anderson, Stearns County Engineer, at 320-255-6180 or email Mitch for more information.

The Waite Park City Hall is at the corner of County State Aid Highway 75/Division Street and 13th Avenue North, about one mile west of St. Cloud’s Crossroads Center shopping area.

Free surface parking is available at the Waite Park City Hall and the building is handicap accessible.

Waite Park City Hall
19 13th Avenue North
Waite Park, MN 56387
(320) 252-6822

Corridor preservation is a process that identifies land needed for a future roadway, and works toward protecting the roadway’s preferred alignment from encroaching and incompatible development.

Early identification of needed right-of-way can help reduce project costs by securing needed land before its value rises. It can also help avoid or minimize land use conflicts, by ensuring that the roadway’s future needs are considered before adjacent development encroaches on the corridor.

Official mapping is one strategy used to preserve a future roadway corridor. Official mapping may be undertaken following completion of the EIS.

Here’s how the official mapping process works:

Key Points:

Cities have the right to preserve land in advance for roadways that are needed in the future.
Advanced notice of the roadway location provides property owners with opportunities to adjust plans before making investments.

(Source: Summary of [Minnesota] State Statutes for Official Maps, Section 462.359)

Contact Mitch Anderson at Stearns County Public Works with any questions:

Mitch Anderson
Stearns County Engineer
320-255-6180
mitch.anderson@co.stearns.mn.us