The expansion of Homestead Street is vital for growth in Rapid Valley

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - A long-awaited road saw its first car today. The ribbon-cutting for Homestead Street gives convenient access to Highway 79 and opens a new area for development on the eastern edge of Rapid City.

The construction of Homestead Street cuts nearly two minutes off people’s commute in that area and more importantly, improves access to emergency services like fire and police; those two minutes are valuable to homes and lives. To celebrate the completion of construction the first vehicles to test the new road were two school buses, followed by a fire truck and an ambulance. Officials say the Homestead Street expansion enhances a new area of growth for the city, with commercial and residential projects already in the works.

“This is one of the TIFs, Tax Increment Financing, that allows the public development part of it first, which enables a lot of things to develop after that. We got to get the water, sewer, the streets, and everything in place. All the basics to get that in place, and then that encourages commercial development,” said Ritchie Nordstrom, City Councilman for Ward 2.

Right after the ribbon-cutting ceremony, people were already using the new road, honking to show their excitement.

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