This Longtime Central Minnesota Landmark Will Soon Be Taken Down

A longtime local landmark will soon disappear. The trestle railroad bridge to the West of Albany will be taken down, to widen Country Road 157 to accommodate a shoulder as well as improve drainage in the area.

Currently, a portion of County Road 157 is closed to traffic as trees around the bridge are being cut, for construction to begin. The Stearns County Highway Department has more details on the project, online. 

The county is planning to fully reconstruct County Road 157 between 7^th Avenue NE in Freeport and Trunk Highway 238 in Albany. Once construction is complete the road will have six foot paved shoulders. The project will also include removal of the old railroad trestle bridge over the roadway just west of Albany, enabling the county to address drainage issues and road width through that area.

The project was delayed from its original planned construction year of 2024 to 2025 so that the bridge removal could be addressed. - Stearns County Highway Department

The Melrose History Museum posted on social media about the change.

I am sure most of you are familiar with the wooden railroad bridge located on the west side of Albany. Many of us have driven under this bridge in our lifetime. Well, it sounds like that is about to change. County Road 157 is about to be widened which means this old landmark is about to be removed. Trees are already being removed along the old highway.

Currently, there is a detour in place for work to be carried out during the day, with the bridge area being back open to traffic during the early morning and evening hours.

"Stearns County area motorists are advised that tree clearing will be starting along County Road 157 in City limits of Albany between Trunk Highway 238 and the western City limits starting Monday, March 17, 2025, and last for approximately two weeks. CR 157 will be closed during the day and opened each night."

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The detour has motorists taking a combination of Trunk Highway 239, I-94, and CSAH 11 to get back and forth from Albany to Freeport.