Portions of Bridge Avenue, Sunset among bigger projects

Albert Lea and the surrounding areas are in for a busy construction season.

Some of the larger projects in Albert Lea include a portion of Freeborn County Road 22 — known to many as Bridge Avenue — the reconstruction of Sunset Street and a portion of Lakeview Boulevard and the realignment of Plaza Street. There will also be mill and overlays on several streets in the northeastern part of Albert Lea.

Freeborn County Engineer Sue Miller said the county and city of Albert Lea have received a lot of federal funds for many projects this year, and the county will also be using this year’s local option sales tax for transportation projects within the city of Albert Lea on South Broadway and Bridge Avenue.

Across the state, there are 211 road and bridge projects planned for construction this season organized through the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Transportation Commissioner Charlie Zelle said in a news release last week that while the projects are comparable in dollar value to last year’s, there are fewer projects. In coming years, funding will decrease because of inflation and flattening revenue streams.

Zelle encouraged legislators to work together to find a long-term, sustainable funding transportation solution.

The following is a complete list of area projects slated for the summer:

Albert Lea road projects

5th Street and Virginia Place

• Most work completed last year

• Final lift of bituminous will be placed this spring

• Total cost approximately $1.5 million

Neighborhood improvement project

• Mill and overlay, miscellaneous curb and gutter replacement

• Quisley Street from Hale Drive to Crystal Drive, Keystone Drive from Richway Drive to Quisley Street, Crystal Drive from Richway Drive to Quisley Street, Allan Drive from Lancaster Lane to Garfield Avenue, Lancaster Lane from Allan Drive to Eastgate Road, Portland Avenue from Allan Drive to Richway Drive, Garfield Avenue from Allan Drive to Richway Drive, Eastgate Road from Bridge Avenue to Garfield Avenue, Troy Road from Bridge Avenue to Glenview Road, Glenview Road from Troy Road to the south end, Airport Road from Bridge Avenue to Hi Tech Avenue, Westron Street from Bridge Avenue to Hi Tech Avenue, Sykes Street from Bridge Avenue to Hi Tech Avenue, Hi Tech Avenue from Airport Road to Sykes Street, East Main Street service road from Fenton Avenue to the west end

• Estimated cost $800,000

• Earliest start is mid-May

• Completion by Aug. 25

Hale Drive reconstruction

• Removal and replacement of the bituminous surface and aggregate base

• Keystone Drive to Quisley Street

• Estimated cost $60,000

• Earliest start is mid-May

• Completion by Aug. 25

East Main Street service road

• Reconstruction of the bituminous surface, aggregate base and curb and gutter

• Morningside Road to Prospect Avenue

• Estimated cost $400,000

• Earliest start is mid-May

• Completion by Aug. 25

Landfill Road reconstruction

• Reconstruction of the bituminous surface

• Freeborn County Road 20 to the Transfer Station

• Estimated cost $120,000

• Earliest start is mid-May

• Completion by Aug. 25

Sunset Street Reconstruction

• Complete reconstruction including concrete paving, curb and gutter, watermain, sanitary sewer and storm sewer; new sidewalk installation on the north side of the road

• Minnesota Highway 13 to Lakeview Boulevard

• Estimated cost $2 million

• Earliest start is early June

• Completion by the end of October

Lake Avenue and East College Street

• Complete reconstruction including bituminous pavements, curb and gutter, sidewalk, watermain, sanitary sewer and storm sewer

• Lake Avenue from Clark Street to East William Street, Lake Avenue alley extension from East William Street to Elizabeth Avenue, East College Street from Newton Avenue to approximately 200 feet east of Elizabeth Avenue

• Estimated cost $1.2 million

• Earliest start is early June

• Completion by the end of October

Plaza Street

• Relocation of the east end of Plaza Street west of Bridge Avenue

• Realignment will move the intersection to line up with Plaza Street east of Bridge Avenue and will be where the north entrance to Hy-Vee gas station

• Existing Plaza Street will remain open during construction

• Grading, aggregate base and first lift of bituminous to take place in 2017

• Area through the wetland will remain gravel over the winter to allow for settling of the new roadway.

• Estimated cost $450,000

• Final paving will take place in 2018

Margaretha Avenue

• Sidewalk installation on west side of road

• 14th Street to 17th Street

• Estimated cost $60,000

• Timeline not available

Lakeview Boulevard

• Reconditioning project

• Hatch Bridge to Martin Road

• Estimated costs not available

• Timeline not available

Freeborn County roads

Freeborn County Road 1

• Two-inch safety shoulder paving

• U.S. Highway 5 to Freeborn County Road 30

• Cost $180,000, Ulland Bros.

• Completion by Sept. 1

Freeborn County Road 1

• Two-inch safety shoulder paving

• Freeborn County Road 30 to east county line

• Cost $276,000, Ulland Bros.

• Completion by Sept. 1

Freeborn County Road 1

• Two-inch safety shoulder paving

• Freeborn County Road 18 to U.S. Highway 65

• Cost $271,000, Ulland Bros.

• Completion by Sept. 1

Freeborn County Road 4

• Replace bridge

• Mansfield Township, Section 36

• Cost $385,000, Ulland Bros.

• Completion by Oct. 13

Freeborn County Road 4

• Reclaim six miles

• Freeborn County Road 60 to Freeborn County Road 11

• Cost $2 million, Ulland Bros.

• Completion by Oct. 13

Freeborn County Road 18

• Mill and two-inch overlay

• Five miles, Freeborn County Road 13 to U.S. Highway 65

• Cost $910,000, Ulland Bros.

• Completion by Sept. 15

Freeborn County Road 22 (Bridge Avenue)

• Recondition, shoulders and overlay

• 1 mile from Hammer Road to Interstate 90

• Cost $1.7 million, Ulland Bros.

• Completion by Sept. 15

Freeborn County Road 38

• Mill and overlay

• 2.63 miles from Myre-Big Island State Park to Freeborn County Road 46

• Cost $477,000, Ulland Bros.

• Completion by Sept. 15

Freeborn County Road 45

• Mill and overlay

• 2 miles from south Geneva city limits to Steele County

• Cost $462,000, Ulland Bros.

• Completion by Sept. 15

Freeborn County Road 91

• Mill and overlay

• 0.7 miles from Freeborn County Road 38 to Albert Lea city limits

• Cost $112,000, Ulland Bros.

• Completion by Sept. 15

Minnesota state highway projects

Interstate 35

• Install cable median barrier

• From Iowa border to Interstate 90 in Freeborn County

• Cost $1.27 million

Interstate 35

• Replace six bridges and four Highway 14 bridges south of Owatonna

• Over the Union Pacific Railroad, Straight River and Turtle Creek

• Cost $2.2 million

Interstate 90

• Replace I-90 bridge

• Under 11th Drive NE in Austin

• Cost $2.32 million

Highway 13

• Resurface, repair two bridges and guardrail

• From Minnesota Highway 30 in New Richland to one mile south of Highway 14

• Cost $6.4 million

Highway 22

• Construct right turn lanes

• Wells Business Park

• Cost $148,000