Minnesota Highway 610 named in honor of the late Melissa and Mark Hortman

Sam Siedow, Star Tribune on Nov 5, 2026

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MINNEAPOLIS — State lawmakers and Gov. Tim Walz joined members of the Hortman family Thursday morning to unveil signs renaming Minnesota Highway 610 in honor of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark.

The highway, now designated the Hortman Memorial Highway, runs through Brooklyn Park, where the couple lived, and connects north-metro communities including Coon Rapids and Maple Grove.

The renaming comes about a year and a half after a gunman killed the couple and their dog Gilbert in a politically motivated attack at their Brooklyn Park home in June 2025.

Their killing, and attempted slaying of DFL Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette on the same night, sent shock waves through the community amid a rise in political violence many Minnesotans believed would never hit home.

The Hortmans’ children, Colin and Sophie, were among the family members who gathered in Brooklyn Park for Thursday’s unveiling.

“I hope that every time someone drives down Highway 610 and sees Melissa and Mark’s names, they’ll remember the lives they lived, the people they loved, and all they gave to Minnesota,” Walz said in a press release.

Melissa Hortman played a “pivotal role” in securing funding for Highway 610 to bring a transportation connection to the north metro, according to the governor’s office.

Hoffman sponsored the legislation to rename the highway, along with DFL Rep. Erin Koegel.

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