Hastings bridge inspection will preview summer traffic
The Hastings Highway 61 bridge will be reduced to just one lane during the day this week.
Crews will conduct the bridge's annual inspection, but the work will also be a preview-of-sorts of traffic this summer, when scheduled repairs will keep the bridge down to one lane.
MnDOT spokesman Kent Barnard says this week's inspection will not affect this summer's work, unless some new problem is found.
"We don't anticipate finding anything out of the ordinary. We did do a very, very thorough, in-depth inspection last year and there were a few issues that were raised but they're going to be addressed during the maintenance and painting project this summer," Barnard said.
The bridge will be one lane from 9 in the morning until 2:30 p.m. all this week.
Recent inspections found the bridge one of the worst rated in Minnesota, but MnDot says the work later this summer should keep the span safe and usable until it's replaced next decade.
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