Highway 610 to be renamed in honor of late Rep. Melissa Hortman

(FOX 9) - Highway 610 is being renamed in honor of late Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman on Thursday, recognizing her years of work to secure funding and complete the highway.

Hortman Memorial Highway

The backstory:

Gov. Tim Walz is scheduled to unveil and dedicate Highway 610 as the "Hortman Memorial Highway" during a ceremony Thursday morning.

The dedication comes after state lawmakers passed legislation earlier this year recognizing Hortman's efforts to secure funding for the highway, a project she championed for years.

The 12-mile highway connects Highway 10 in Coon Rapids to Interstate 94 in Maple Grove. After decades of planning and years of construction, the final phase of the Highway 610 corridor was completed in November 2025. 

However, Hortman died before she could see the project finished. The former House speaker and her husband were killed in a politically motivated attack at their Brooklyn Park home in June 2025, five months before the highway's completion. 

What's next:

The dedication ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday, with Gov. Walz, state lawmakers and community members expected to attend.

The Source: This story uses previous FOX 9 reporting.