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Powell Avenue bridge, roundabout and trail projects highlighted in River Falls infrastructure update
Summary
Staff reported completed and planned transportation projects including Powell Avenue bridge reconstruction, a Cascade/South Lawson roundabout, North Main sidewalk infill, Man Valley Trail and continued pavement preservation; passenger rail participation was noted as a long‑term planning effort.
The Plan Commission heard an overview of recent and upcoming transportation and utility projects that staff say implement the comprehensive plan’s access and connection goals. Emily Shively highlighted completed work — including the Powell Avenue bridge reconstruction and North Main sidewalk infill — and projects in progress such as the Man Valley Trail and new roundabout at Cascade and South Lawson.
“That bridge was in really poor condition and was almost ready to be subject to weight restrictions, and it's a key connection in the city,” Shively said in describing the Powell Avenue project and why the work moved forward. Shively also outlined pavement preservation strategies (reconstruction, mill and overlay, chip seal) and said the city is participating in a regional passenger‑rail planning effort that could take many years to materialize.
Staff noted ancillary utility projects that support growth — a new water tower on the north end, water/sewer and electric extensions to serve new neighborhoods, and planning for a biosolids processing facility at the wastewater plant — and emphasized the need to sequence infrastructure with development to maintain service and resilience.
