Terra cotta has been selected as the color for the free-standing twin arches that will grace the new Hastings bridge.
A bridge visual quality team, including community representatives, chose the reddish-brown color to match color schemes of old buildings in downtown Hastings and to set off the arches against the sky. The $120 million bridge's deck will be a tan color.
Meanwhile, workers have demolished a former Hudson Manufacturing warehouse just west of the existing bridge in downtown Hastings to make room for the south approach of the new Hwy. 61 bridge.
Pile-driving continues near the north bank of the Mississippi River for three piers, and cofferdams are being built to create dry work areas in the river so workers can pour concrete pier footings.
Further into the river, a test pile has been driven for Pier 6, and explosives will be ignited three times to verify that the bridge's foundation will carry the required loads of the four-lane span.
INVER GROVE HEIGHTS
Rock Island Swing Bridge plan approved After additional review, several changes were made to the plan that will serve as a guideline for how the park near the Rock Island Swing Bridge could look in the future.
The City Council of Inver Grove Heights approved an updated Heritage Village/Rock Island Swing Bridge Master Plan last week.
Some of the changes included scratching a dog park from the plan and leaving an area in its natural state by getting rid of some trails and a gazebo.
Discussions continue about moving the old town hall and schoolhouse in the park, but more work has to be done to determine the cost of moving and restoring the buildings and defining their uses.
The city's Park and Recreation Commission developed the draft master plan for the more than 21 acres of property that the city bought near the recreational pier, which should be opening in the spring.
The updated plan is the result of comments made by City Council members, residents and others.
The next step is for a park development phasing plan to be created along with cost estimates.
DAKOTA COUNTY
Bremer Foundation gives $31,000 to help needy The Otto Bremer Foundation has once again offered Dakota County thousands of dollars to help people in need.
The county board accepted a $31,000 grant from the nonprofit this month that will be put toward residents' emergency needs, such as rent and mortgage payments, utilities and medical expenses.
In 2009, a $100,000 Bremer Emergency Fund grant allowed the county to help 106 households meet emergency needs. Eligible families have incomes of up to 250 percent of the federal poverty guidelines.
Mendota Heights
Reception will honor mayor, councilwoman To honor their time spent in public service, there will be a "thank-you reception" for Mendota Heights Mayor John Huber and City Councilwoman Mary Jeanne Schneeman on Tuesday before their last City Council meeting. They both decided not to run for reelection this year.
Huber served on the City Council from 1993 to 2000 and is finishing his fourth term as mayor.
"I really enjoyed the whole time. ... I felt we just had a good process of taking up problems and issues as they arise and really give all the interested parties a chance to weigh in," Huber said.
He will be replaced by current City Councilwoman Sandra Krebsbach.
Schneeman has been on the council for 12 years.
"I just think they are two very high-quality, high-class elected officials that we will miss," said David McKnight, city administrator.
The reception will take place at the Mendota Heights City Hall at 1101 Victoria Curve from 5 to 7 p.m., prior to the scheduled City Council meeting.
DAKOTA COUNTY
Bus lane project bids come in low Bids for the Cedar Avenue bus shoulder construction project have come in millions below the amount Dakota County officials expected.
The numbers aren't final, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation is reviewing Disadvantaged Business Enterprise goals, but county commissioners were pleased to hear that the lowest bidder offered to do the work for $7 million less than the anticipated $41 million cost of the project.
"A percentage under the estimate is always good," Commissioner Will Branning said. "That number is sizable."
The road construction project is set to begin next spring and will take two years. When it is done, buses will run from station to station on designated shoulders along Cedar Avenue.
DAKOTA COUNTY
Art submissions sought for county exhibition Local artists are invited to submit their work for possible inclusion in the county's first-ever art exhibition.
The Dakota County Public Art Citizen Advisory Committee will choose pieces to be displayed for six months at the county Administration Center in Hastings, the Western Service Center in Apple Valley and the Northern Service Center in West St. Paul.
To be eligible, artists must live in Dakota County and submit their work by March 14. Works must be based on one of three themes -- Portraits of Dakota County, Reflections of Dakota County, or Secret Places of Dakota County -- and submissions are limited to one per artist. Art must be prepared to hang on a wall.
For more information and criteria, go to www.dakotacounty.us and search for "public art." Artists can also contact Jean Erickson, deputy director of Dakota County's Public Services and Revenue Division, at 651-438-4286 or jean.erickson@co. dakota.mn.us.
NICOLE NORFLEET, KATIE HUMPHREY AND Jim Adams
