The blue-gray Hwy. 61 truss bridge that has been a landmark for 62 years is scheduled to be demolished this week, and the city will send it off with a memorial service.
A new bridge built beside the old one is set to open to traffic one side at a time Monday and Tuesday.
"It is a bittersweet moment to bid farewell to a landmark that has stood tall for so long,'' the city said in a news release announcing the service, which will include a procession with a bagpiper.
Mayor Paul Hicks will meet residents on the north lawn of City Hall, 101 E. 4th St. The date and time are dependent upon when the bridge work is done, but it's tentatively scheduled for late Tuesday afternoon, immediately after northbound traffic is removed from the old bridge. The state Department of Transportation will send out e-mail notices on the event's exact timing; sign up at www.dot.state.mn.us/hastingsbridge.
The demolition is expected to begin Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.
LAURIE BLAKE
laurie.blake@startribune.com
