Anyone who has driven down Bridge Avenue between Marshall Street and Hammer Road in recent years can testify that the road is in need of repair. The road and the utilities underneath, along with many of the sidewalks, have reached the end of their intended lives.

Bridge Avenue serves as one of the primary conduits between Albert Lea’s downtown and the commercial and residential areas to the north.

We are glad to know that this reconstruction project is on the horizon for 2020 and that it is slated to receive at least $4 million in federal funding to make it more feasible. This is a project that has come a long way over at least the last decade and a half, as it has been debated on how to rebuild the road.

Because it is a county highway that runs through the city limits, both the city and the county have a role in its renovation.

Over the course of the discussion, officials have looked at whether the road should be a two-, three- or four-lane road and what to do at some of the key intersections of the road, including at intersections with Richway Drive and Hawthorne Street.

Preliminary design options for the reconstruction project were presented Tuesday during an open house at Albert Lea City Hall.

Though a four-lane road is no longer an option, several other options are on the table, including areas where there could be three lanes or two lanes, dedicated turning lanes, roundabouts and even shifts in the road at some intersections.

We encourage people to share their thoughts about the possibilities with your city councilors and county commissioners and for officials to review the pros and cons of these options thoroughly.

Once the road is constructed, it’s going to be in place for many years, so it is crucial to choose the options that will be best for the community.