County Commission Discusses Progress Parkway Pedestrian Bridge, Downtown Parking Lot

During two short meetings the week of Thanksgiving, the Ste. Genevieve County Commission dealt with several issues.

One issue was the elevator for the pedestrian bridge over Progress Parkway. The commissioners spoke to both Billy Cobb and Jeremy Manning of Smith & Company Engineering about the plans for the elevator.

Ste. Genevieve County Presiding Commissioner Garry Nelson told Manning he would like to see the elevator shaft done this winter, so the rest of the project could be completed before the River Rapids Waterpark opens in late May.

“It’s a complex job,” Manning said. “Dealing with an elevator is something I’ve never done before.”

He assured the commissioners that it would be taken care of, though.

“It’s been difficult, but I’ve been doing all I can,” he said. “I know it’s a priority.” …

The parking lot being — which is being built where the County Services Building used to stand on Market Street — and the possibility of incorporating all or parts of the privately-owned parking lot between Market, Merchant and Third streets came up at both the November 25 and November 27 meetings.

Nelson said that with Chris Collins being named superintendent of the Sainte Genevieve National Historical Park, “things should begin moving” toward getting the park open. That along with the expected opening of the Ste. Genevieve Museum Learning Center by spring convince Nelson the need for additional downtown parking by next summer is vital.

Figuring out water run-off is the first step to building a parking lot.

“We need to get it ironed out,” Nelson said. “We need to get something done early in the spring. We’ll be getting more people in town.

“It will probably be one of our first projects done this spring,” he said.

See complete story in the December 4 edition of the Herald.