If you've been driving through Hastings, you've probably noticed Highway 61 has seen better days. Good news, MnDOT's finally tackling it with a major reconstruction from just north of 3rd Street down to 36th Street.
Here's What's Happening
Parts of this road literally haven't been rebuilt since 1931. Yeah, you read that right. With over 30,000 cars using it every day, it's way past due for an upgrade.
The numbers tell the story, 370 crashes in five years, and some intersections have crash rates three times higher than the state average.
Construction starts fall 2027 and wraps up spring 2029, with most of the heavy lifting happening in 2028.
And this isn't just slapping down new asphalt. They're completely reimagining how this corridor works.
The Big Stuff You'll Notice
They're adding two full-size roundabouts at Highway 316 and 36th Street. If you're thinking "ugh, roundabouts," hear this out—the Highway 316 intersection is a mess right now, and roundabouts actually keep traffic moving better than stop lights.
The crumbling Todd Field wall is getting replaced (finally), and there's a new traffic signal coming to 18th Street.
Plus, you're getting an 8-foot trail from Highway 316 to 36th Street and brand new sidewalks on both sides of the highway.
About Those Downtown Crossings
Here's something pedestrians will actually love: they're closing the median breaks at 5th and 7th Streets and creating proper crossing refuges instead.
No more sprinting across five lanes of traffic and hoping for the best.
You'll be able to cross in stages, which is way less terrifying.
Will This Make Traffic Worse?
Honestly? No. Here's the wild part—without these improvements, your afternoon drive from 4th to 36th Street would go from about 5 minutes today to 22 minutes by 2040.
With the improvements, it stays around 5 minutes. Same drive time, way safer roads.
What About the Businesses?
MnDOT's been talking to business owners all along—they've knocked on doors at over 110 businesses and held dedicated business meetings.
They get that access matters. The plan includes a backage road system and consolidates some of those 120+ driveways that currently make the corridor feel like a obstacle course.
Why You Should Care
Highway 61 is kind of trying to be two things at once—the main street through downtown Hastings and a major regional highway.
Right now it's not doing either job particularly well. This $30-40 million project fixes that with safer crossings, better traffic flow, and infrastructure that'll actually last.
If you want to stay in the loop about construction updates and traffic impacts, sign up for email updates at mndot.gov/metro/projects/hwy61hastings.