BROOKINGS – Building an Interstate 29 interchange at 20th Street South will help Brookings with economic development, Mayor Keith Corbett said.

The idea has been around for a few years, starting out as an overpass, but an interchange makes more sense as Brookings keeps growing to the south, Corbett said.

There are several reasons why now is the time to move forward with the project, he said.

Still growing

“There are 61 businesses on the east side of the interstate. I’m told there are 4,000 people working over there,” Corbett said.

A good share probably come from Brookings and Volga, he figures, and they would have to go through the intersection of Sixth Street and 22nd Avenue and cross the bridge to get to work. The South Dakota Department of Transportation has done studies of how many vehicles use that intersection.

“The DOT told me (on) an average day, 11,058 cars go through that intersection. Now think about how many people live on the south side of Brookings, because that’s where we’re expanding,” Corbett said.

It’s no secret that Brookings’ residential population is growing, and almost all of that growth is to the south, due to flood plains all around, he said.

It wouldn’t just help out south Brookings residents; he sees an interchange as a good thing for Aurora residents, many of whom also work in Brookings. Redmond Road goes west out of Aurora and turns into 214th Street, a county road that turns into 20th Street South when it enters Brookings. Then Aurora residents can turn north to get to the industries along I-29.

“Think about the way Aurora is growing … very quickly, very well. Think about all those students that are in buses that come over to Brookings for school,” Corbett said, referring to the fact Aurora children are in the Brookings School District. 

An e-mail to the Brookings School District asking how many children in the district come from Aurora was not immediately answered.

“My concern continues to be safety. They have to come across the interstate at Sixth Street and 22nd Avenue to go to our schools which are on the south side of Brookings,” Corbett said.

“Those school buses could be coming straight from Aurora to Brookings, not going through an intersection (that) gets awfully busy a couple times of the day,” he said.

Easier access to the south of Brookings could spur business, too.

“When we look at an interchange, think what that can do for economic development in Brookings. There’s areas that are ripe for growth. An interchange would only help that growth,” Corbett insisted.

Possible funding

Building interchanges costs money – lots of it.

Last week, the Brookings City Council approved applying for a federal BUILD grant to help fund the interchange. The city should hear in December whether it has been accepted for the grant, Corbett said.

The federal Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development grant would pay for 80 percent of the estimated $18 million price tag. The city’s share of that arrangement would be approximately $3.6 million. The grant might pay for 100 percent of construction because Brookings is considered to be a rural area with less than 50,000 in population, Corbett said.

Without that grant money, Corbett doesn’t see how the city could afford the interchange, so it couldn’t be built.

Edgebrook 

An interchange will, of course, change the land around it. 

The southern edge of Edgebrook Golf Course runs along 20th Street South.

Corbett said they don’t yet know how the ramps will be configured, but said they will probably be similar to how the interchange at Sixth Street looks with straight ramps.

“Golf course won’t be affected. I’ve been asked that question a lot,” he said. “We’ve spent a lot of money on the golf course, rightly so, putting in drain tile.

“You’ve heard me say more than once: if we own it, we maintain it and we’ve done that with the golf course.

“I don’t golf, but those that do tell me it’s a beautiful course. People come from a long ways away just to golf on it. It’s not our plan to tear up that golf course. We do have to plan how to get around that golf course, if this should come to fruition,” Corbett said.

“It just depends on, first, if we get the grant. Then the engineering work will have to begin and securing of the right of ways and all the negotiations,” he added. 

32nd Street bridge

Many people want to know why we need to build a bridge on 20th Street South when there already is one at 32nd Street South. Why can’t ramps be added to the 32nd Street South bridge?

Corbett cited a lot of reasons.

“The Department of Transportation told us that bridge has been struck, I believe it was three times by over-height vehicles,” Corbett said.

Since that bridge crosses an interstate, it’s the state’s responsibility to repair it and pay for it, just like the Sixth Street bridge is, Corbett said. 

If the city wants a new bridge before the state plans to fix it or just wants to add ramps to the 32nd Street South, the city would pay the entire cost, according to the DOT, Corbett said.

Again, the city doesn’t have the millions it would take to do that, that’s why the council is trying to get the BUILD grant, Corbett said. 

If the city wants to build an interchange at 32nd Street South, not only would the city be paying for the cost of a new bridge and new ramps, but they would have to pay for the demolition of the old bridge, which would easily put the price tag at more than $20 million, he figured.

Upgrading the 32nd Street South bridge would not enhance economic growth, Corbett added.

One reason is 32nd Street South, or 215th Street, does not go straight into Aurora like 214th Street does. In fact, it does not even meet 476th Avenue south of Aurora; it ends at 475th Avenue. 

Even if it went through, “it’d still be a mile south of Aurora,” Corbett said.

Just adding ramps to the 32nd Street South bridge would not aid economic growth in Brookings, either, he said.

“The other factor, if you go out there and look at it … there’s no area there for economic development. One of the factors with 20th Street South that’s appealing is (a) direct line to Aurora, but also the potential for economic development in housing,” Corbett said.

Everyone benefits

The city wants to work with the county to build the interchange and improve the roads going east to give better access to Aurora.

“We all benefit from it. Anytime we can work closer with the county, it’s a benefit,” Corbett said. “It’s a great opportunity to work together.”

Others will benefit, as well.

“We’ve got tremendous support from businesses,” Corbett said. 

“I think this is huge for future development, economic development, homes,” Corbett said.

Contact Jodelle Greiner at jgreiner@brookingsregister.com.

Register photo: The paved portion of 20th Street South currently ends at 22nd Avenue South, but if the City of Brookings receives a federal grant to build an interchange at Interstate 29 and 20th Street South, 20th would be extended to the east, where this gravel road currenly sits between Edgebrook Golf Course and Western Estates.