The Highway 7 project was delayed due to a predicted winter storm. Starting April 21, traffic will be directed off State Highway 7 and onto State Highway 22 east of Hutchinson starting Monday. However, local traffic will still be able to reach Silver Lake by Highway 7.

For the complete story and detour routes, see Thursday's (April 10) print edition of the Hutchinson Leader.

Last week’s open house was the final showing of redevelopment plans for the highway corridor before a public hearing in December. Cindy and Tim Walter studied drawings of potential development that could occur along State Highway 7 near their home. The drawings were completed by a Minneapolis consulting firm, based on opinions expressed at another open house and advisory panel meetings conducted earlier this year. For the complete story, see Tuesday's (Nov. 6) print edition of the Hutchinson Leader.

Smiles were on the faces of the 100 or so people who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday morning that marked the completion of the two-year reconstruction of State Highway 7 through Hutchinson. Sharing the honors on the giant scissors were Minnesota Department of Transportation project engineer Kelly Brunkhorst, City Engineer Kent Exner and Manny Walk, with general contractor C.S. McCrossan. The highway was opened to traffic in the afternoon.

The last concrete being poured on the two-year reconstruction of State Highway 7 through Hutchinson is the maroon-colored material used in the center medians. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for 10 a.m. today (Friday), west of California Street. People attending the ribbon-cutting should park at the Hutch Bowl lot. Traffic barricades are expected to be removed by late afternoon.