Hastings Bridge project a step closer to delivering jobs

Work to be awarded in June; major construction in full swing by end of year

St. Anthony, MN – After a long wait and funding battle, there’s some good news coming from MNDot on the Highway 61 Bridge Project in Hastings. Just after the New Year, the agency put the project out for bid to three firms that qualified to submit design-build proposals. The agency expects to let the job in June to one of following joint ventures: Flatiron/Kiewit, Lunda/Ames, or PCL/Kraemer.

Estimates for construction are expected to come in around $220 million, with major construction in full swing by fall. The project is expected to last three or four years and deliver dozens of sustained jobs for 49ers.

“Local 49’s fight for historic Chapter 152 legislation made funding for this project a reality,” said Glen Johnson, the union’s business manager. “It shows that when we stand together with our allies organized labor can achieve great things for Minnesota and its workers.”

The Hastings project is part of a $2.5 billion trunk highway and bridge preservation program that will keep 49ers working and maintain our state’s critical infrastructure. Federal highway funding is also a key component to financing the Hastings Bridge.