As I drive through town these days it’s hard not to be detoured by some sort of road construction. The new surface and chip sealing on Center Avenue, cold patching on various streets and of course the big 1st street project.

The new, smooth surface on the roadway will be the benefit we all will enjoy, but let’s not overlook the work being done underneath the roadway. New water lines and new sewer pipes come to mind as well as the improved storm drains.

These improvements are designed to last for generations. We should be thankful for the projects causing the detour in Merrill and keep in mind that these detours are best described as “Temporary inconvenience in route to permanent improvement”