New bridge over Mississippi at Hastings to open
The new span over the Mississippi River at Hastings is opening this weekend.
The entire bridge will be ready for drivers for the first time by Monday morning, Minnesota Department of Transportation officials said. "Once that's all open, they still will be allowed to have some temporary lane closures, but they'll be non-peak times," said MnDOT spokeswoman Kristen Klein. "They've got landscaping and lighting and stuff like that they want to complete along the bridge."
The $130 million bridge features 545 foot-long free-standing arches. The project started in 2010 and replaces one of Minnesota's most deficient bridges. It also expands the crossing from two lanes to four.
Workers are still removing what remains of the old Hastings bridge. A dedication ceremony for the new span is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday.
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