The big news of the morning has to do with the opening of two new bridges in the south metro.
After being closed for more than a month, the new flyover bridge carrying traffic from southbound I-35E to southbound I-35 in Burnsville is now open. The bridge and all lanes at County Road 42 opened last night.
Motorists may continue to see off-peak lane closures along I-35E as crews continue to build crossovers between the I-35/35W/35E split and Cliff Road in Eagan for the single lane traffic expected in mid-June.
In Hastings, the first span of the new Hwy. 61 bridge over the Mississippi River opened last night. Southbound traffic on Hwy 61 is now using the new bridge. Northbound traffic is expected to be rerouted to the new bridge this evening.
A goodbye celebration to "Big Blue" as the bridge was known will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday. Following a short memorial led by Mayor Paul Hicks, the public will be allowed to walk the main span of the current Hastings Bridge for a final time. The walk will serve as the city's tribute to a structure that has provided safe passage for residents, commuters and visitors across the Mississippi River since 1951
The new Hastings Bridge will feature the longest free-standing tied arch rib on the continent that will serve the community of Hastings and the entire southeastern region of the metro area for the next 100 years.
As far as today, I'll be keeping an eye on the roads and rails this morning, reporting any delays or issues — and I could use your help.
If you see or hear about any congestion, delays or problems, e-mail drive@startribune or tweet @stribdrive or leave a comment here.
