:Minnesota State Highway 610

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, 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.

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.{{cite MnDOT map |year = 2009 |sections = V24–W25 |inset = Metropolitan Saint Paul–Minneapolis |access-date = April 3, 2015 }}{{google maps |url = https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Brooklyn+Park,+MN&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=64.497063,65.654297&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Brooklyn+Park,+Hennepin,+Minnesota&ll=45.129742,-93.332634&spn=0.114568,0.193634&t=h&z=13 |title = Overview Map of MN 610 |access-date = May 8, 2010}}

Legally, MN 610 is defined as Route 333 in the Minnesota Statutes § 161.115(264).{{cite web |url = https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=161.115 |work = Minnesota Statutes |title = § 161.115, Additional Trunk Highways |publisher = Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes |author = Minnesota State Legislature |year = 2009 |access-date = May 8, 2010 }} The highway is not marked with this legislative route number along the actual highway. The entire route of MN 610 has been listed on the National Highway System,{{cite map |url = http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/nhs/maps/mn/minneapolis_mn.pdf |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081017022849/http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/nhs/maps/mn/minneapolis_mn.pdf |url-status = dead |archive-date = October 17, 2008 |title = National Highway System: Minneapolis–St. Paul |author = Federal Highway Administration |author-link = Federal Highway Administration |scale = Scale not given |location = Washington, DC |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |date = August 2003 |access-date = January 26, 2011 |format = PDF }} a system of roads important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility.{{cite web |last1 = Natzke |first1 = Stefan |last2 = Neathery |first2 = Mike |last3 = Adderley |first3 = Kevin |name-list-style = amp |url = https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/national_highway_system/ |title = What is the National Highway System? |work = National Highway System |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |date = June 26, 2013 |access-date = July 1, 2013 }}

File:MN 610 groundbreakin.jpg

MN 610 was proposed in the middle of the 1960s as a "North Crosstown" freeway. Studies for the highway started in the 1970s. The highway was first authorized on June 2, 1975.{{cite web |title = Laws of Minnesota for 1975 |url = https://www.revisor.mn.gov/data/revisor/law/1975/0/1975-214.pdf |format = PDF |author = Minnesota State Legislature |author-link = Minnesota State Legislature |publisher = Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes |date = June 2, 1975 |page = 637 |access-date = May 8, 2010 }} The westbound span of the Mississippi River bridge was built in 1985,{{cite web |author = Federal Highway Administration |url = http://nationalbridges.com/index.php?option=com_lqm&6ca8b06494c1f015a0e186a192dad967=1&task=showResults&query=8&lqm_id=296025&&format=raw&&Itemid=2 |title = 27239 |work = National Bridge Inventory |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |year = 2010 |access-date = May 8, 2010 }} and, along with the existing freeway east of MN 252, was opened in October 1987.{{cite news |title = 'Missing Link' Highway Plans to be Outlined |last = Baker |first = Ann |work = St. Paul Pioneer Press |date = January 3, 1990 |page = 1N }} Officials in Minnesota proposed tolls as a means to fund the construction on the highway in 1989.{{cite news |title = Levine Taking a Look at Tolls to Pay for Roads, Bridges |work = Star Tribune |location = Minneapolis |date = September 13, 1989 |last = Blake |first = Laurie |page = 4B }} Local officials supported the highway construction, but opposed the tolling plans.{{cite news |title = Officials in Northern Suburbs Ready to Fight Toll-Road Proposal |last = Ahem |first = Don |work = St. Paul Pioneer Press |date = December 24, 1990 |page = 7A }}

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.{{cite news |title = Intersection of Hwy. 610, Hwy. 169 will have signals |work = Star Tribune |location = Minneapolis |date = July 20, 2000 |page = 2B |first = Laurie |last = Blake }} Construction on the second bridge over the Mississippi River for eastbound traffic started in 1999,{{cite web |author = Federal Highway Administration |url = http://nationalbridges.com/index.php?option=com_lqm&6ca8b06494c1f015a0e186a192dad967=1&task=showResults&query=8&lqm_id=296030&&format=raw&&Itemid=2 |title = 27252 |work = National Bridge Inventory |publisher = Federal Highway Administration |year = 2010 |access-date = May 8, 2010 }} to be completed in 2002.

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. The remainder of the highway to I-94 was not on a MnDOT schedule to be built.{{cite news |title = Minnesota's Biggest Stimulus Road Project Moves Ahead |work = The Seattle Times |date = November 16, 2009 }} 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 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.{{cite news |url = http://maplegrove.patch.com/articles/work-resumes-on-highway-610-in-maple-grove |first = Wendy |last = Erlien |title = Work Resumes on Highway 610 in Maple Grove |work = Maple Grove Patch |date = July 22, 2011 |access-date = August 11, 2011 }} The ribbon cutting ceremony was on August 17 and the road opened on August 19.{{cite news|first=Maria Elena |last=Baca |date=August 16, 2011 |title=High-Fives All Around for Another Leg of Hwy. 610 |url=http://www.startribune.com/local/north/127802358.html |work=Star Tribune |location=Minneapolis |access-date=August 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018105850/http://www.startribune.com/local/north/127802358.html |archive-date=October 18, 2012 |url-status=dead }}

MN 610 was originally planned to extend west to I-94 in Maple Grove, and the freeway's mile markers reflected these plans, with the zero point calibrated to this terminus. 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.{{cite web |author = Minnesota Department of Transportation Metro Region |url = http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/610/ |title = Highway 610 |publisher = Minnesota Department of Transportation |year = 2010 |access-date = May 7, 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090303033810/http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/610/ |archive-date = March 3, 2009 }}

On April 4, 2016, construction started on an interchange with Maple Grove Parkway.{{Cite web |url = http://www.dot.state.mn.us/metro/projects/610west/ |title = Highway 610 West |last = |first = |date = |website = |publisher = Minnesota Department of Transportation |access-date = April 7, 2016 }} The final segment to I-94 opened on December 9, 2016.{{cite news |first = Tim |last = Harlow |date = December 9, 2016 |title = At Long Last, Hwy. 610 Opens in Maple Grove |url = http://www.startribune.com/at-long-last-hwy-610-in-maple-grove-set-to-open-friday/405603916/ |department = The Drive |work = Star Tribune |location = Minneapolis |access-date = December 9, 2016 }}

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.

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{{Jcttop|exit|length_ref={{MnDOT logpoint |year = 2016 |link = yes |page = 685 |access-date = December 9, 2016 }}|num=yes}}

{{MNint|exit

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|notes=Western terminus; no access to eastbound I-94; Opened on December 9, 2016}}

{{MNint|exit

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|notes=Opened on December 9, 2016}}

{{MNint|exit

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|notes=Opened on August 19, 2011; separate exit ramps westbound ; Signed as 2A (County 81) and 2B (County 130)}}

{{MNint|exit

|mile=3.579

|exit=3

|road={{jct|state=MN|CR|202|county1=Hennepin|name1=Zachary Lane}}

|notes=Opened on August 19, 2011}}

{{MNint|exit

|location=Brooklyn Park

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|notes=Interchange reconstructed in 2011; former western terminus; Signed as 5A (south) and 5B (north)}}

{{MNint|exit

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|road={{jct|state=MN|CR|103|county1=Hennepin|name1=West Broadway Avenue}}

|notes=}}

{{MNint|exit

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|road={{jct|state=MN|CR|14|county1=Hennepin|name1=Zane Avenue}}

|notes=}}

{{MNint|exit

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|road={{jct|state=MN|CR|12|county1=Hennepin|name1=Noble Parkway}}

|notes=}}

{{MNint|exit

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|road={{jct|state=MN|MN|252|dir1=south|city1=Minneapolis}}

|notes=Northern terminus of MN 252}}

{{jctbridge

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|exit

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|notes=Eastbound exit, westbound entrance}}

{{MNint

|mile=

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|road=Foley Park and Ride

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{{MNint|exit

|mile=11.066

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|notes=Eastbound exit, westbound entrance}}

{{MNint|exit

|mile=11.747

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|road={{jct|state=MN|MN|47|US|10|dir1=north|dir2=west|to2=to}}

|notes=Eastbound exit, westbound entrance}}

{{MNint|exit

|location=Blaine

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|type=incomplete

|mile=11.922

|exit=11C

|road={{jct|state=MN|CR|51|county1=Anoka|name1=University Avenue}}

|notes=No eastbound entrance}}

{{MNint

|mile=12.314

|exit

|road={{jct|state=MN|US|10|dir1=east}}

|notes=Eastern terminus}}

{{jctbtm|exit|keys=incomplete}}

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• [http://steve-riner.com/mnhighways/r288-694.htm MN 610] at The Unofficial Minnesota Highways Page

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610

Category:Freeways in Minnesota

Category:U.S. Route 10

Category:Transportation in Hennepin County, Minnesota

Category:Transportation in Anoka County, Minnesota