Obstacles include a bad economy, belt-tightening at the legislature and the possibility of uncooperative landowners for the Blazing Star Trail, a pedestrian and bike trail that would connect Albert Lea with Austin.

Members of the Blazing Star Joint Powers Board, which governs the trail, approved an application to request funding for the project from the state Thursday. The group, made up of Austin and Albert Lea city councilors and non-voting officials from the city, is leading the charge for the project.

&uot;There’s still a lot of groundwork ahead,&uot; said Austin Community Development Director Craig Hoium. He said the board has to gather letters of support and influence from the community and hope for the best. But he said even if the state declines to fund the project, it will still be in the minds of legislators as the economy improves and the budget isn’t so tight.

Work scheduled for this year will extend the trail fourth-fifths of the distance between the two northern points of Albert Lea Lake. Funding and plans exist for a bridge over the southern point of the north basin. The trail was approved by the state in 1996; it just needs funding.

Joel Wagar, a supervisor for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Trail and Waterway Division, explained that acquiring the land for the trail will take the most time and effort. Most landowners he’s talked to have been supportive. &uot;People are very interested in the trail being near their homes and businesses,&uot; he said.

But landowners who decline to sell their land will make the project more difficult, though not impossible. The trail’s path isn’t set in stone and can change, he said. In fact, many people who could have the trail on their land haven’t been contacted yet.

With the latest request, they hope to receive funding in 2004 to extend the trail east to Hayward. The scheduled plan for 2006 would extend the trail to Moscow. And the scheduled plan for 2008 would extend the trail to Austin. The funding needed to complete the project is estimated at $4,750,300. About $1.5 million has been spent already.

About five miles of trail have already been completed, with money given by the legislature in 1998. The part being completed this summer is using money funded in 2000. Gov. Jesse Ventura vetoed funding in 2002.

Rep. Dan Dorman, R-Albert Lea, said he thought the project had a good chance of passing the legislature, since it is metered out over time.

He said what it came down to was saving money or investing in infrastructure, something he thought legislature approved of. &uot;If it gets to Gov. Pawlenty’s desk, I think he’ll approve it,&uot; Dorman said.

(Contact Tim Sturrock at tim.sturrock @albertleatribune.com or 379-3438.)