HAGER CITY, Wis. (SPECTRUM NEWS) - Two bridges sit side-by-side on the Wisconsin-Minnesota border across the Mississippi River. Both are named for President Dwight D. Eisenhower. One was built in 1960, while its namestake was still alive, while the other opened to traffic on Friday, November 23, 2019. 

The Eisenhower Bridge of Valor connects Hager City, Wisconsin, and Red Wing, Minnesota. Before the bridge officially opened to the public, a color guard led emergency personnel and veterans from both states made their way from the Wisconsin side to the Minnesota side. Trooper Bill Lindeman from the the Wisconsin State Patrol- Eau Claire Post flew a drone above the bridge during Thursday's procession.

According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the Eisenhower Bridge provides the only regional crossing of the river for approximately 30 miles upstream and downstream for several communities on both the Wisconsin and Minnesota sides of the river. The $63.4 million project included the new bridge, plus upgardes to bicycle-pedestrian crossings, new approach roadways in Wisconsin and Minnesota, a new slip ramp over Highway 61 in Minnesota, and improved access to Red Wing, Minnesota.

Demolition on the old bridge begins Monday, November 25, 2019, and will continue through the winter. You can learn more about the project here.