Masterplan moving forward at River Ridge in Clark County

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August 18, 2009

Congress may slow development’s funding as it focuses on pushing stimulus projects, health care

By BRADEN LAMMERS The News and Tribune Tue Aug 18, 2009, 01:42 PM EDT

The masterplan for River Ridge Development Authority is moving ahead as hoped, according to talk at its board of directors meeting Monday.

Construction projects continue to be a driving factor for the authority, with the construction of a traffic light at the intersection of River Ridge Circle and Ind. 62 nearing completion.

Paving improvements along Ind. 62 near the signal are expected to be finished within a week, with the lights expected to go up by the end of September.

The second light being partially funded by River Ridge — at Salem-Noble Road and Ind. 62 — is continuing with engineering work and construction likely to begin in spring.

A third road project also is expected to be completed in the next two weeks — Waterline Road. River Ridge’s portion of the fencing is finished and the guardrail — which is being constructed by Clark County — is two-thirds complete, said Marc Hildenbrand, project engineer for River Ridge.

In addition to construction projects, River Ridge is enhancing its marketing campaign, unveiling a new logo, an updated Web site — to be completed by September — and plans to post an online tour by October.

Another marketing tactic for River Ridge will allow it to hopefully attract industries by establishing a flexible 2,000 acres of Foreign Trade Zone property.

In these zones, companies can easier trade internationally, thanks to tax and tariff relief. It is designed to lower the costs of U.S.-based operations engaged in international trade and thereby create and retain the employment and capital investment opportunities that result from those operations, according to the Foreign Trade Zone Resource Center.

Designations can be changed through a 30-month to 60-month process for a tenant that wants to be included within the area, said Tom Vittitow, planning and development manager for River Ridge.

Regardless of how well the plan seems to be going for River Ridge, it may run into hurdles soon.

Government programs that are updated and help fund programs for River Ridge are being slowed down or put on hold because of the efforts to push stimulus projects, health care reform and cap-and-trade initiatives through Congress, said Joe Waggoner, of Waggoner Engineering.

“The result and effect is that programs dealing with the more traditional, cyclical, legislative reauthorizations are being pushed back,” he said.

The two programs that affect River Ridge are funding requests in the Highway Trust Fund legislation — totaling $8 billion — and the Water Resource Development Act — totaling $25 million.

“These huge domestic issue bills that right now are just pushing everyone away from the table,” Waggoner said. “And until they are resolved, it is likely that you will see no action, this year, on the Water Resource Development Act.

“With the Highway Trust Fund reauthorization ... we’ll be looking at that legislation actually being taken into consideration about this time, maybe a little later, next year.”

In other business

• River Ridge will open a public bid for its security contract, which expires

Nov. 1. The current contract is held by Securitas Security Services USA Inc. and bids likely will be submitted at the board’s October meeting.

ON THE WEB

• River Ridge Commerce Center —

riverridgecc.com

• Foreign Trade Zone Resource Center — foreign-trade-zone.com

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Masterplan moving forward at River Ridge in Clark County

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