Shorter ‘tied arch’ bridge type chosen for Hastings US 61 crossing

The proposed tied arch bridge design will be more in keeping with the scale of the existing bridge and surrounding area.

Photo courtesy of the MN Department of Transportation

A new Hastings bridge won't tower over downtown, after all. On June 30th, the Minnesota Department of Transportation announced that a shorter, "tied arch" style bridge will be built and will be similar in scale to the existing bridge. MnDOT had considered a "cable stay" design that would have risen 35 to 180 feet above the adjacent bluffs, and would have been visible from miles away.

In order to construct the bridge, a portion of the land used by Hudson Manufacturing will need to be taken. Hastings is finalizing plans to relocate the firm elsewhere in the city. The new bridge, however, will also open up a key opportunity to connect the downtown Hastings riverfront with parkland in the Lake Rebecca area just upstream.

Several articles cover the Hastings bridge design and development issues:

Background information is also available from the FMR archives.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, June 3, 2025 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Southwest Park Ponding Basin, Hastings
Wednesday, June 4, 2025 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Camel's Hump Park and Open Space, Cottage Grove
Saturday, June 7, 2025 - 9:00am to 11:00am
William H. Houlton Conservation Area, Elk River

Our River Campaign:
It all starts here

At the heart of this new campaign is the vision of a healthy Mississippi River.