More information will soon be revealed about a construction project along a Dakota County highway corridor that has been years in the making.
Hastings residents are invited to a public meeting Tuesday evening to learn about the reconstruction of U.S. 61 between just north of Third Street and just south of 36th Street, according to a news release from the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
A stretch of U.S. Highway 61 between just north of Third Street and just south of 36th Street is slated for reconstruction. Hastings residents are invited to a public meeting on Nov. 18, 2025 to learn about the project. (Courtesy of the Minnesota Dept. of Transportation)
The meeting, which begins at 5 p.m. at Hastings City Hall at 101 Fourth St. E., will give residents an opportunity to learn more about the project, view displays and speak with staff.
A two-year study of the U.S. 61 corridor, which concluded in June 2024, identified safety improvements for all modes of travel, alternatives for primary intersections and options to consolidate private driveways and public roads, according to the project webpage.
As a result, the project will see the construction of new, full-size roundabouts at Minnesota 316 and 36th Street, improvements to safety and traffic flow, new concrete sidewalks and pedestrian ramps and a new traffic signal at the intersection of U.S. 61 and 18th Street.
The project will cost an estimated $30 million to $40 million, according to the project team, with funds coming from the Metropolitan Council’s Regional Solicitation and MnDOT’s Transportation Economic Development program.
The historic Todd Field wall, which runs adjacent to U.S. 61 at Hastings High School’s McNamara Stadium at Todd Field, is also slated for replacement due to significant structural and geotechnical issues including visible cracking and a lack of drainage. The current wall also fails to meet modern crash safety standards, according to the project team.
The new wall will be built vertically, replacing the existing 45-degree slope, which the project team said will allow for a standard southbound right-turn lane and upgraded sidewalks that meet ADA requirements.
Construction is tentatively planned to run from fall 2027 through spring 2029, with the majority of work completed in 2028.
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