Plans to power up Quincy’s riverfront lies underground

QUINCY (WGEM) - Quincy leaders continue to power up on a plan to revitalize one of the city’s greatest assets.

The Quincy Riverfront Development Corporation met at the Boat Club Wednesday to discuss the plan.

Revitalizing community riverfronts along the Mississippi River has become vital to economic development.

Creating more visually pleasing spaces elevates the possibility of riverboat cruises docking in those communities, bringing in tourism dollars while increasing visibility.

“Infrastructure has to be taken care of,” QRDC president Tieraney Craig said.

Craig said the first step is to bury these power lines.

“It comes before anything else,” she said. “We received all of our bids back today and reviewed those. COVID has brought prices up, and so we’re dealing with an increase.”

Bids to bury those lines came back high. Therefore, the group plans to develop a new plan to make its plan more financially feasible.

Craig says Ameren owns the power lines, but an outside contractor would be hired to bury the power lines.

The Quincy Riverfront Project has received grant money to help pay for the project.

However, more money is needed to help make up the difference in rising costs.

“Burying these electrical lines is important because the infrastructure is due to be updated,” Craig said. “We’re going to be raising the floodplain, so the riverfront isn’t going to flood. So instead of raising that and then trying to dig through and bury the lines, we’re going to try to do it all at once.”

Leaders hope Quincy’s riverfront will become a main attraction for future parks, concert venues and other public events.

Quincy leaders plan to pay for riverfront redevelopment through a variety of sources, including private donations.

A Riverfront Development Foundation is in place to allow charitable donations that qualify as a tax deduction.

The Quincy Riverfront Development Corporation plans to meet again in two weeks.

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