ST. PAUL — Two bicycle boulevards in St. Paul once expected to cost about $1.5 million are now nearly $1 million over budget.

The  St. Paul City Council debated Wednesday how to reduce the extra $900,000 projected cost. It considered cutting funding for a $200,000 bicycle ramp or reducing the budget of a Palace Recreation Center remodel by about $90,000. The council didn’t make a decision during the meeting.

City officials said the boulevards were put out to bid in 2013 and 2014. Bids came back over budget both times. The projects are supported by about $1.4 million in federal funding.

The city plans to create the boulevards by converting residential streets with low traffic and driving speeds to official bike routes.