Column: Chad Adams, City View

The steering committee established for the Broadway Avenue Streetscape Project has been continuing to make progress in discussing the various structural and streetscape elements to the project these last few months. To date, one public open house has been conducted and the next public meeting is scheduled to be from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday in the Council Chambers of Albert Lea City Hall.

 

The project is reaching a critical stage in the design process before cost estimates will be prepared for public review in July. The project is planned to be funded through a combination of water and sewer funds, $1 million in state bonding dollars secured for the project, general property taxes from the community and assessments to the benefiting properties of the project. The city and consultant engineer Bolton & Menk Inc. are also exploring some other possible funding options that would reduce the burden on local taxpayers.

Due to the aging water and sewer infrastructure underneath Broadway — which is more than 80 years old — the city needs to reconstruct the road and replace the sidewalks. While reconstructing the road, we have an opportunity to consider new streetscape elements and improve functionality that will enhance the downtown experience. Some of those elements include pedestrian plazas and better street lighting, as well as connectivity and improved accessibility to Fountain Lake Park.

In addition to the Albert Lea City Council designating the downtown as a priority project for the community, the downtown has been recognized as a priority through past and recent community planning sessions that have involved community input.

For example, the city’s comprehensive plan states that necessary infrastructure systems must be in place to facilitate development in the downtown. Specific systems to be incorporated into the infrastructure include “gray” systems (storm water, sanitary sewer, potable water, telecommunications, streets, trails and sidewalks); and, “green infrastructure” (public open space, plazas, streetscapes, storm water management systems).

Another example of the downtown being assigned as a focus area is through the Albert Lea Area Listens strategic plan. The planned connectivity from Broadway to Fountain Lake will enhance the downtown as a destination and a proposed dock for boats will allow more opportunities to frequent downtown businesses, restaurants and the arts.

We encourage you to voice your opinion on the project elements at the next upcoming meeting on Monday. A short presentation will be at 5:30 p.m., with the remainder of time set aside for more intimate viewing and feedback of the preliminary plans.

To keep informed on the project, a website is being created at http://bit.ly/broadwaystreetscape. Project newsletters are also available on the city’s website at www.cityofalbertlea.org under the “projects” tab.

I look forward to seeing you at an upcoming meeting for the project and thank people who have been providing feedback to the steering committee and city officials these last several months.

 

Chad Adams is the city manager of Albert Lea. His column appears monthly.