Regional designation paves way for Songbird Trail’s next phases

City News July 1, 2026

The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission (GMRPTC) recently designated the Songbird Trail as a regional trail, marking a major milestone for this project. The trail will eventually run along a former rail corridor for 50 miles from Albert Lea to near Waterville.

The designation comes with grant opportunities to build the trail.

Freeborn County, the City of Albert Lea, and Waseca County have formed a joint committee to support, plan and develop the Songbird Trail.

Once completed over several years, the trail will connect the Blazing Star State Trail in Freeborn County to the Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail in Le Sueur County. The trail will provide access to prairie, woodland, stream, lake and farm scenes.

Regional designation recognizes the project’s significance beyond the local level and increases awareness of the trail as it moves toward construction. As segments are built, the designation will help attract more trail users from across the region.

The GMRPTC, established in 2013, carries out system planning and provides recommendations to the Minnesota Legislature for grants funded through the Parks and Trails Legacy Fund. The commission awards funding to government units outside the 7-county metropolitan area for parks and trails of regional significance. Funding comes from a statewide sales tax authorized by the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment.

Freeborn County, the City of Albert Lea, and Waseca County applied for the regional designation last year and recently provided a tour for commission members to see the local vision for the trail that will connect several communities.

Construction may start this summer with state and federal grants, along with local funding. The Freeborn County Board is scheduled to vote at its July 6 meeting on accepting the low bid of $2.2 million for building two segments and reconditioning 4 railroad bridges for pedestrian use.

At its June 22 meeting, the Albert Lea City Council voted in support of Freeborn County accepting the low bid and committed financial support to the project. The current proposal includes equal contributions from the city and county to fund work on the contract.

Funding for the project includes:
• $250,000 through a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Trail Connections Grant awarded to the City of Albert Lea.
• $300,000 through a Minnesota DNR Regional Trail Grant awarded to Freeborn County.
• $846,275 through a Minnesota Department of Transportation Active Transportation Grant.

If approved, construction is expected to begin in August 2026 with completion required by June 2027.

The project would include:
• Building the trail from Fountain Street to Shoff Park and from Sunset Street to 220th Street (County Road 74).
• Rehabilitating 4 former railroad bridges to current pedestrian standards.

The city and county plan to build the Songbird Trail in phases as grant money becomes available. Each grant carries its own requirements, timelines, and eligible items. Any one grant source would not be enough to fund the entire project within Freeborn County, leading to the phased approach.