November: Continued Record Permit Valuation & Ridership Numbers

NOVEMBER REPORTS:

CITY’S NOVEMBER BUILDING REPORT CONTINUES

RECORD VALUATION CLIMB FOR THE YEAR

**City reaches record $447 million valuation total

for 2023 with one month remaining

RAPID CITY, SD—As each day advances to the end of 2023, the City continues setting new records for building permit valuation totals for the year.  Since shattering the City’s historical mark for permit valuation totals in October, each new permit – large and small in valuation - helps establish a new annual record for the City.

            The City’s Building Services Division issued 251 building permits in November with a combined valuation total of $20.8 million.  Through 11 months of 2023, the City has issued 2,654 building permits for a combined valuation total of more than $447.8 million. A year ago, through November of 2022, the City had issued 2,576 permits with a combined valuation total of $347.9 million, nearly $100 million less than this year’s valuation total through 11 months.

           The City’s record for annual building permit valuation totals was eclipsed in October, surpassing the mark of more than $393.5 million set in 2021.

            Depending on December’s numbers, this year’s valuation total will be nearly $100 million more in valuation total than the totals of a year ago. Last year, the City issued 2,866 building permits with a combined permit valuation total of $364.6 million.

          “Each permit issued between now and the end of December continues to set the record higher,” said Community Development Director Vicki Fisher. “Whether it’s a permit for electrical work, a roofing permit or permit to build a home or apartment complex, the value of that permit sets the record higher, to be surpassed by the next permit to be issued.

          “It’s been quite a year in terms of building in the city and it’s reflected in the valuation total of the permits issued.”

          The top four-valued permits issued last month: a grading and site improvement permit valued at $4.13 million to Scull Construction as contractor for utilities work for Rapid City Regional Airport at 4550 Airport Road; a permit valued at $3.62 million to Rural America Initiatives with Scull Construction as contractor for an addition to the RAI Headstart facility at 2112 S. Valley Drive; and two permits valued at $1.2 million each issued to Enchanted LLC with Zeisler Construction as contractor for 15-unit apartment complexes at 4827 Fifth Street and 4829 Fifth Street.

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RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM REPORTS

NOVEMBER INCREASES IN RIDERSHIP

**More than 2,500 additional rider trips recorded

compared to November 2022

RAPID CITY, SD—Rapid Transit System (RTS) officials recorded 18,736 total passenger trips in November, an increase of more than 2,500 trips from the same month in 2022.

             The overall ridership was 14 percent higher than the 16,185 passenger trips recorded in November 2022.  Last month’s ridership number also represents an 14.5 percent increase over ridership numbers in November 2021 (16,030 trips) and a 38 percent increase over November 2020 (11,550 trips).

            The November increase in overall ridership received a boost from an increase in youth ridership numbers.  In November, a total of 4,884 youth passenger trips were recorded as part of the ‘Youth Ride Free’ program.  Last month’s total was a 15 percent increase over the youth ridership numbers recorded in November 2022 (4,157 trips) and a 29 percent increase of the 3,485 youth passenger trips recorded in November 2021.

            “We continue to see steadily-increasing ridership numbers, both in overall ridership as well as in our youth ridership numbers when compared to the same month a year ago,” said RTS Manager Megan Gould-Stabile. “The numbers are especially impressive when comparing the numbers from two to three years ago.”

            Registration is recommended for the ‘Youth Ride Free’ transportation program, which was initiated in the summer of 2016 to provide youth with better access to schools, libraries, recreation and social events and to save money for families and foster appreciation for public transportation among the City’s youth.

          For more information about the RTS program, visit www.rapidride.org or call 605-394-6631.  In addition, parents and guardians can contact Rapid Transit Service to register for the youth ridership program or go online to rapidride.org and click on the ‘Youth Ride Free’ button.