This area is prepared to be stimulated.

A massive highway project will start in earnest Thursday and continue into mid-November in downtown St. Peter. The $11 million to $15 million project is the first in the state to use federal stimulus money.

The job creation from this project is expected to be in construction, surveying and engineering. And although contractors are not required to hire locally, they may do so, as well as buy construction materials here. Workers will no doubt get gas, food and lodging here.

A lot of preparation has gone into this “shovel-ready” project, not only for the actual construction, but for dealing with the headaches that go along with it. The city of St. Peter and the Minnesota Department of Transportation have worked diligently in getting information out to residents and business owners — and just as importantly, giving them a chance to ask questions and voice concerns.

A Web site — www.discover169.com — will keep the public abreast of the latest construction information, detour maps and special business community promotions. In addition, weekly meetings for property and business owners adjacent to the project will be held every Friday morning in the St. Peter Community Center.

Officials answering common questions are straightforward. When tackling the subject of why this project is being done when a bypass around St. Peter may happen in the future, the answer given is because a bypass is still decades away with current funding levels. The utility reconstruction, pavement resurfacing, and safety improvements of this immediate project will provide many years of benefits, the officials say.

And that answer makes sense. Everyone knows improvements of Highway 14 in this region are going at a snail’s pace despite decades of lobbying and Minnesotans’ criticism of the unsafe highway. St. Peter could be waiting a long time for the Highway 169 bypass, while in the meantime, needed downtown improvements would be ignored.

St. Peter will benefit greatly from the completion of the downtown project. The improvements mean pedestrians will be able to cross Minnesota Avenue more quickly and safely. Residents will see utilities updating. Beautification efforts, including planters and trees surrounded by grating, will make St. Peter more attractive and visitor friendly. Traffic control will be added, making Highway 169 safer to drive.

Surrounding communities should keep in mind that St. Peter will retain its unique offerings and friendly atmosphere during the project, and that visitors need not stay way.