A private contractor drove "spud" poles this week into the St. Croix riverbed at Hudson, Wis., to start construction on a new public dock some 670 feet in length — perhaps the largest on the St. Croix River. The dock has been envisioned by city staff for years, said Hudson Mayor Rich O'Connor, who campaigned on the idea of more riverfront access when he first ran for office in 2016. "It's the .