Trunk Highway 610 marker

Trunk Highway 610

MN 610 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by MnDOT
Length12.314 mi[1] (19.817 km)
ExistedJune 2, 1975 (1975-06-02)[2]–present
Major junctions
West end I-94 / US 52 in Maple Grove
Major intersections
East end US 10 in Blaine
Location
CountryUnited States
StateMinnesota
CountiesHennepin, Anoka
Highway system
  • Minnesota Trunk Highway System
← I-535→ I-694

Minnesota State Highway 610 (MN 610) is an east–west freeway in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota. The freeway connects Interstate 94 (I-94), County Road 81 (CR 81), and CR 130 in northern Hennepin County to U.S. Highway 10 (US 10) in southern Anoka County. MN 610 crosses the Mississippi River on the Richard P. Braun Bridge between suburban Brooklyn Park and Coon Rapids. The highway is 12.3 miles (19.8 km) long.

The freeway was authorized in 1975, and most of the sections were completed by 2000 (7.2 mi or 11.6 km); the 2.6-mile (4.2 km) section westward to CR 81 in Maple Grove was completed and opened in 2011. The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) opened the last segment extending to I-94 on December 9, 2016.

Route description

MN 610 starts at a partial interchange with I-94/US 52 in Maple Grove; eastbound traffic on I-94/southbound US 52 can exit to MN 610, and westbound traffic on MN 610 merges onto westbound I-94/northbound US 52. From there, the freeway continues eastward through an interchange with Maple Grove Parkway,[3] and it turns southeasterly to its interchange with CR 81 in Maple Grove. From this point, the freeway runs eastbound through the northern suburbs of the Twin Cities. MN 610 is four lanes in width and has several interchanges with local streets and county roads before expanding to six lanes and meeting the northern terminus of MN 252 on the west bank of the Mississippi River. After MN 252 interchange, the MN 610 freeway turns to the northeast and crosses the Mississippi River on the dual-span, eight-lane Richard P. Braun Bridge.[4][5]

Across the river, the freeway runs along the south side of the Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park before curving around to the east. It continues through suburban Coon Rapids as a six-lane freeway to a partial interchange with northbound MN 47. This interchange is used by eastbound traffic transitioning to westbound US 10. The final section east to US 10 in Blaine is four lanes. The second interchange along this section of the freeway with University Avenue is used to connect with MN 47 southbound. The last interconnected interchange is at the eastern terminus as traffic defaults onto US 10 eastbound.[4][5]

Legally, MN 610 is defined as Route 333 in the Minnesota Statutes § 161.115(264).[6] The highway is not marked with this legislative route number along the actual highway.[4] The entire route of MN 610 has been listed on the National Highway System,[7] a system of roads important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.[8]

History

Senators Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar with other dignitaries breaking ground on the MN 610 extension

MN 610 was proposed in the middle of the 1960s as a "North Crosstown" freeway. Studies for the highway started in the 1970s.[9] The highway was first authorized on June 2, 1975.[2] The westbound span of the Mississippi River bridge was built in 1985,[10] and, along with the existing freeway east of MN 252, was opened in October 1987.[11] Officials in Minnesota proposed tolls as a means to fund the construction on the highway in 1989.[12] Local officials supported the highway construction, but opposed the tolling plans.[13]

West of MN 252, the freeway construction started in June 1997. The freeway was opened to traffic in 2000, with a traffic light at the intersection of MN 610 and US 169 initially.[14] Construction on the second bridge over the Mississippi River for eastbound traffic started in 1999,[15] to be completed in 2002.[14]

Construction of the portion between US 169 and CR 81 was estimated to cost $48 million in 2010, of which $27 million is being funded by federal stimulus money. The project began in October 2009, and it was scheduled to be completed in July 2011.[16] The remainder of the highway to I-94 was not on a MnDOT schedule to be built.[16] The new western terminus was to be located at Elm Creek Boulevard in Maple Grove. The freeway continued westward from this point in the median of CR 81, but this section was to be an unused stub end past the ramps that connect to CR 81[9] During the 2011 Minnesota state government shutdown, construction on MN 610 was halted for 20 days. Until work stopped on July 1, 2011, a ribbon-cutting ceremony had been scheduled to open the new freeway section on July 12.[17] The ribbon cutting ceremony was on August 17 and the road opened on August 19.[18]

MN 610 was originally planned to extend west to I-94 in Maple Grove,[2] and the freeway's mile markers reflected these plans, with the zero point calibrated to this terminus.[1] A portion of this section is very unusual; it is routed down the middle of the median of CR 81 in Maple Grove, forming a roadway within a roadway.[9]

On April 4, 2016, construction started on an interchange with Maple Grove Parkway.[19] The final segment to I-94 opened on December 9, 2016.[3]

Future

MnDOT officials have plans to extend MN 610 westward to connect to CR 30 in Corcoran, and officials are working to secure funding to build the missing ramps at the I-94/US 52 interchange.[3]

Exit list

CountyLocationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
HennepinMaple Grove0.0000.000
 I-94 west / US 52 north – St. Cloud		Western terminus; no access to eastbound I-94; Opened on December 9, 2016
1.2442.0021Maple Grove ParkwayOpened on December 9, 2016
2.4864.0012 CR 130 (Elm Creek Boulevard) / CR 81Opened on August 19, 2011;[18] separate exit ramps westbound ; Signed as 2A (County 81) and 2B (County 130)
3.5795.7603 CR 202 (Zachary Lane)Opened on August 19, 2011[18]
Brooklyn Park5.1178.2355 US 169Interchange reconstructed in 2011; former western terminus; Signed as 5A (south) and 5B (north)
5.8069.3445C CR 103 (West Broadway Avenue)
6.81710.9716 CR 14 (Zane Avenue)
7.85012.6337 CR 12 (Noble Parkway)
9.58415.4249
 MN 252 south – Minneapolis		Northern terminus of MN 252
Mississippi River9.815–
10.067		15.796–
16.201		Richard P. Braun Bridge
AnokaCoon Rapids10.43316.79010 CR 1 (East River Road)Eastbound exit, westbound entrance
Foley Park and RideWestbound entrance only
11.06617.80911A CR 3 (Coon Rapids Boulevard)Eastbound exit, westbound entrance
11.74718.90511B


 MN 47 north to US 10 west		Eastbound exit, westbound entrance
Blaine11.92219.18711C CR 51 (University Avenue)No eastbound entrance
12.31419.817
 US 10 east		Eastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Minnesota Department of Transportation (May 10, 2016). "Statewide Trunk Logpoint Listing" (PDF). St. Paul: Minnesota Department of Transportation. p. 685. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Minnesota State Legislature (June 2, 1975). "Laws of Minnesota for 1975" (PDF). Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. p. 637. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 Harlow, Tim (December 9, 2016). "At Long Last, Hwy. 610 Opens in Maple Grove". The Drive. Star Tribune. Minneapolis. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 Minnesota Department of Transportation (2009). Explore Minnesota: Official State Highway Map (Map) (2009–2010 ed.). Scale not given. St. Paul: Minnesota Department of Transportation. Metropolitan Saint Paul–Minneapolis inset. §§ V24–W25. OCLC 5673160, 80405240, 611514840. Retrieved April 3, 2015 – via Minnesota Digital Library.
  5. 1 2 Google (May 8, 2010). "Overview Map of MN 610" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
  6. ↑ Minnesota State Legislature (2009). "§ 161.115, Additional Trunk Highways". Minnesota Statutes. Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
  7. ↑ Federal Highway Administration (August 2003). National Highway System: Minneapolis–St. Paul (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved January 26, 2011.
  8. ↑ Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike & Adderley, Kevin (June 26, 2013). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 1, 2013.
  9. 1 2 3 Minnesota Department of Transportation Metro Region (2010). "Highway 610". Minnesota Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
  10. ↑ Federal Highway Administration (2010). "27239". National Bridge Inventory. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
  11. ↑ Baker, Ann (January 3, 1990). "'Missing Link' Highway Plans to be Outlined". St. Paul Pioneer Press. p. 1N.
  12. ↑ Blake, Laurie (September 13, 1989). "Levine Taking a Look at Tolls to Pay for Roads, Bridges". Star Tribune. Minneapolis. p. 4B.
  13. ↑ Ahem, Don (December 24, 1990). "Officials in Northern Suburbs Ready to Fight Toll-Road Proposal". St. Paul Pioneer Press. p. 7A.
  14. 1 2 Blake, Laurie (July 20, 2000). "Intersection of Hwy. 610, Hwy. 169 will have signals". Star Tribune. Minneapolis. p. 2B.
  15. ↑ Federal Highway Administration (2010). "27252". National Bridge Inventory. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved May 8, 2010.
  16. 1 2 "Minnesota's Biggest Stimulus Road Project Moves Ahead". The Seattle Times. November 16, 2009.
  17. ↑ Erlien, Wendy (July 22, 2011). "Work Resumes on Highway 610 in Maple Grove". Maple Grove Patch. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  18. 1 2 3 Baca, Maria Elena (August 16, 2011). "High-Fives All Around for Another Leg of Hwy. 610". Star Tribune. Minneapolis. Archived from the original on October 18, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  19. ↑ "Highway 610 West". Minnesota Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
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