We are pleased to hear city and county officials are transitioning Austin Mower County Area Transit in a smooth manner. Cedar Valley Services runs Albert Lea Transit throughout Freeborn County, and by all accounts, it is a punctual, well-run operation. It seems officials will plan to limit the impact such a transition could have on transit service, which is a positive for area residents.

That said, we have one question.

Now that Cedar Valley Services will run buses in both Mower and Freeborn counties, will there be a route that goes between Austin and Albert Lea?

We hope transit authorities research inter-county routes. If the projected revenue isn’t there, making the idea not feasible, we understand. Yet it would be a nice feature for Mower County residents looking to stop in Albert Lea.

City and county officials aren’t sure if such a move could happen, but it seems the idea could come to fruition if everything aligns properly.

The economies of the two communities are linked, with residents commuting back and forth daily for work, family and play. It’s hard to imagine there wouldn’t be a need, though it might be a matter of whether the state would assist with funding an outside-of-the-county route.