Coon Rapids residents, city and county officials, MnDOT personnel and Ames Construction crew members gathered near the center of the new six-lane Hanson Boulevard bridge and interchange over Highway 10 late Tuesday afternoon.

Coon Rapids Mayor Tim Howe proclaimed the opening of the Hanson Boulevard bridge a “reconnect of our north and south arteries,” calling the bridge “a major gateway to our city.” Howe expressed gratitude to the city’s residents, commuters and businesses who endured re-routing and infrequent customers during the construction of the new bridge.  Photo by Sue Austreng
 

With green lights blazing through a cloudy Coon Rapids afternoon construction workers remove the last of the “bridge closed” barricades, allowing traffic to climb onto the newly-opened Hanson Boulevard bridge and drive over Highway 10. The bridge opened to north-south-east-west traffic Tuesday evening. The 100-day new bridge project was completed in 98 days and features single-point diamond signage in the center of the bridge, only the second bridge in the state to employ such traffic signals. The signage is designed to ease the flow of traffic from the exit ramps, allowing drivers exiting Highway 10 to cruise through the ramps to the center of the bridge, according to MnDOT spokesmen.

(Photo by Sue Austreng)

ABC Newspapers photographer Sue Austreng spent time under, over and alongside the Hanson Boulevard bridge over Highway 10, shooting images of the newly-constructed Coon Rapids artery which opened Tuesday, August 14 afternoon. View slide show

Protesters tested their First Amendment rights Monday when they returned to the scene of what the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled was not a crime.

Luke Otterstad holds a sign protesting abortion on the Ferry Street overpass at Highway 10 during rush hour on Monday afternoon. Three years ago Otterstad was arrested for a similar protest. Photo by Mandy Moran Froemming

It was the stuff dreams are made of.

“It was the best experience of my life and I won’t ever forget it,” said Noah Fedje, second baseman.

Noah Fedje was a little stunned when an adoring fan asked him to autograph his baseball glove. Fedje did so with a huge smile. (Photo by Jennifer Kivioja)