The Bismarck Parking Authority on Thursday revisited creating two new parking ramps in downtown Bismarck and will seek bids for security and key card entry to access and exit the present ramps.

The focus of the talks are of placing one new ramp on Sixth Street to accommodate people near the medical facilities and the City/County Building. A second is being considered near the Bismarck Public Library.

The Bismarck Parking Authority oversees ramps at the three city-owned sites, including the Third Street and Main site, the Galleria at the Radisson and the Parkade at Fifth and Broadway.

The cost of a new ramp four years ago was listed as more than $5 million.

"There is a real need," said board member Claire Ann Holmberg about a new ramp.

"We were encouraged again," board member Jim Christianson said. "There seems to be renewed interest in reviving the project."

Christianson said city administrator Bill Wocken and city commissioner Parrell Grossman are involved in the latest discussion.

He said they are reviewing work done by a task force in the past three years. "We want to see if we can revive the work on this site on this block and also look at a ramp in the vicinity of the library," Christianson said.

"We'll look at some of the things we've already done, just to update them," Holmberg said.

Authority members said the new ramps would not be for the sole use of medical patients and personnel.

"We want to stay away from calling it the 'Medcenter parking lot,'" Holmberg said.

Jason Tomanek of the city planning department agreed it would be a ramp of multiple users.

"The idea is to bring everything up to date in terms of cost, number of parking spaces that could be brought off-street and to bring the library into the mix," Christianson said.

He that along with the overflow of the library, banks and other businesses are expanding in that area.

The Parking Authority also discussed linking all the parkways with a skyway system, but that expense is unknown.

With the city's approval and financing in place, Christianson said it would take at least two years from start to opening of a new ramp.

Authority members also aired concerns about how a move by some of its commercial tenants would impact the city.

In a separate discussion, Rocky Gordon, who is contracted to manage the parking ramps for the city, was asked to seek proposals to replace the outdated security and key card entry system for the city parking ramps from companies that specialize in the equipment.

The current system is becoming obsolete and cards are running out or wearing out.

"It will have to be done. We're in the situation that we'll be out of key cards," Gordon said.

Gordon suggested the work be done in phases, beginning with the gate entry first and do the doors later. He expects the cost on the gates' system would range between $10,000 and $12,000.

(Reach reporter LeAnn Eckroth at 250-8264 or leann.eckroth@;bismarcktribune.com.)