With a ceremonial groundbreaking and lots of photo opportunities, construction on the final segment of Hwy. 610 through Maple Grove is finally underway.
Gov. Tim Walz, U.S. senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, state representatives and a host of other dignitaries put shovel to dirt Tuesday to kick off the $60 million to $80 million highway extension that will complete the final leg of "North Crosstown," a project 50 years in the making.
"This new road is a tremendous asset for Maple Grove and the entire region up and down I-94," said State Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove, at the celebration near the Interstate-94/Hwy. 610 interchange where the highway currently ends. "This is a win-win-win combination for the people of the state and local areas."
Work will begin this fall. When finished in 2025, a four-lane divided roadway to be known as Rush Creek Boulevard will run between I-94 and County Road 30. The project also includes new ramps that will allow drivers to go from westbound Hwy. 610 to eastbound I-94 and from westbound I-94 to the westbound extension of Hwy. 610.
Planning for Hwy. 610 started in 1973. However, without money, construction of the first segment between Hwy. 252 in Brooklyn Park and the junction of Hwy. 47 in Coon Rapids was delayed until the late 1980s. The six-lane bridge became the only crossing over the Mississippi River between Anoka and Brooklyn Center.
By 2000, more segments had been added and the highway ran from Hwy. 10 to Hwy. 169. The last links from Hwy. 169 to I-94 opened in the mid 2010s, completing the 12-mile route.
A combination of federal, state, county, city and Met Council funds will pay for the extension, which also includes upgrades and a realignment of County Road 30. The new road is expected to create hundreds of new jobs in health care and manufacturing, and alleviate traffic congestion on interstates 694 and 494.
"Thousands use Hwy. 610 every day, and this extension is not only critical to connect communities in the north metro, it also bolsters our economy by putting more workers within a reasonable commute to get to businesses along I-94," Klobuchar said. "I can't wait to get this done."
