[DULUTH, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today broke ground on the $1.8 billion Blatnik Bridge replacement project, one of the largest public works projects in state history. Photos from the event are available here. Governor Walz was joined by Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, labor leaders, and members of Congress who voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that helped fund the project.

“The Blatnik Bridge is a vital link for Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the broader regional economy,” said Governor Walz. “It carries thousands of vehicles and trucks every day, moving goods, supporting commerce, and connecting communities. That’s why we need to build a bridge to last. I’m proud to have secured federal investments to replace Blatnik and to help ensure local workers do the jobs that will build it. This project will support more than one million good-paying labor hours and strengthen the future of the region for generations to come. We’re building a better Minnesota, and this bridge shows it.”

“White Pine Narrows has always been part of our homelands, and the Blatnik Bridge stands within our shared 1854 Ceded Territory. As MnDOT and WisDOT begin phased construction from 2026 through 2032, with more than a million labor hours anticipated, our Tribal Employment Rights Office looks forward to working with MnDOT and its project partners to ensure Tribal members can access training, trades, and employment opportunities connected to this historic investment,” said Chairman Bruce M. Savage, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. “These opportunities will help our people pivot into new careers, strengthen existing skills, and build long term stability. It is meaningful to see MnDOT recognize the history of this place and work with Tribal Nations as partners. Building a new Blatnik Bridge is not only an investment in infrastructure. It is an investment in our shared future, our regional economy, and the story of this land and the people who continue to care for it.”

"The Blatnik Bridge project is one of the largest MnDOT has ever undertaken, and it’s taken a lot of coordination with state, local, federal, and tribal governments, as well as collaboration with our business, labor, and industry partners, to get us to this project milestone,” said MnDOT Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger. “We look forward to building a new bridge that is safer and better serves our state and region. We thank all our partners for their help in getting us to this milestone, with a special thanks to our tribal partners who remind us of a deeper meaning of place unique to this project and lasting long after project completion.”

More than 100 project team members and public officials from Wisconsin and Minnesota gathered near the bridge to recognize the partnerships and historic collaboration necessary to fund and construct a new bridge that will serve the region and economy for decades to come.

Opened to traffic in 1961, the Blatnik Bridge is an essential link between Superior and Duluth via Interstate 535 and US 53. Jointly owned and operated by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), the important freight and commercial connector is reaching the end of its service life, and without this reconstruction project, was projected to close by 2030. The bridge has been load-posted since 2019 and can no longer carry overweight freight loads.

More than 33,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day, including commuters and visitors. Each year, more than 265,000 trucks transporting nearly $4 billion in goods pass over the St. Louis River. Many businesses across the upper Midwest rely on the bridge to reach the Port of Duluth-Superior, the largest U.S. port on the Great Lakes. The bridge is also one of the largest marine links for U.S. trade with Canada, the top trade partner of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the United States.

Minnesota and Wisconsin each committed $400 million for the replacement project. In addition, after years of advocacy from Governor Walz and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) supporters in both states, the Biden Administration’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act awarded a $1 billion Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects program (INFRA) grant to MnDOT and WisDOT for the project in January 2024.

In June 2026, MnDOT and WisDOT opened bids for the project. After receiving two contractor bids, Ames-Kraemer Joint Venture II was awarded the contract. The design-build process will be used for the project, allowing for efficient coordination between the design team and the construction team, lower costs, and a more innovative design and construction.

“This iconic Blatnik Bridge project will be one of the largest in our region’s history. This isn’t a temporary construction job. This is a long-term project that will provide long-term careers for many folks in the Northland, providing for their families for years to come,” said Jack Carlson, Duluth Building Trades president. “An apprentice can start working on the project, and by the time the bridge is built, it could be a quarter of their career. That is what Northlanders need the most. Steady, strong, great-paying careers without having to travel to find work. That’s time at home with their families; that’s why it is important that we have these work opportunities.”

“Today’s groundbreaking marks the beginning of that work and an important investmen

[DULUTH, MN] – Governor Tim Walz today broke ground on the $1.8 billion Blatnik Bridge replacement project, one of the largest public works projects in state history. Photos from the event are available here. Governor Walz was joined by Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, labor leaders, and members of Congress who voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that helped fund the project.

“The Blatnik Bridge is a vital link for Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the broader regional economy,” said Governor Walz. “It carries thousands of vehicles and trucks every day, moving goods, supporting commerce, and connecting communities. That’s why we need to build a bridge to last. I’m proud to have secured federal investments to replace Blatnik and to help ensure local workers do the jobs that will build it. This project will support more than one million good-paying labor hours and strengthen the future of the region for generations to come. We’re building a better Minnesota, and this bridge shows it.”

“White Pine Narrows has always been part of our homelands, and the Blatnik Bridge stands within our shared 1854 Ceded Territory. As MnDOT and WisDOT begin phased construction from 2026 through 2032, with more than a million labor hours anticipated, our Tribal Employment Rights Office looks forward to working with MnDOT and its project partners to ensure Tribal members can access training, trades, and employment opportunities connected to this historic investment,” said Chairman Bruce M. Savage, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. “These opportunities will help our people pivot into new careers, strengthen existing skills, and build long term stability. It is meaningful to see MnDOT recognize the history of this place and work with Tribal Nations as partners. Building a new Blatnik Bridge is not only an investment in infrastructure. It is an investment in our shared future, our regional economy, and the story of this land and the people who continue to care for it.”

"The Blatnik Bridge project is one of the largest MnDOT has ever undertaken, and it’s taken a lot of coordination with state, local, federal, and tribal governments, as well as collaboration with our business, labor, and industry partners, to get us to this project milestone,” said MnDOT Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger. “We look forward to building a new bridge that is safer and better serves our state and region. We thank all our partners for their help in getting us to this milestone, with a special thanks to our tribal partners who remind us of a deeper meaning of place unique to this project and lasting long after project completion.”

More than 100 project team members and public officials from Wisconsin and Minnesota gathered near the bridge to recognize the partnerships and historic collaboration necessary to fund and construct a new bridge that will serve the region and economy for decades to come.

Opened to traffic in 1961, the Blatnik Bridge is an essential link between Superior and Duluth via Interstate 535 and US 53. Jointly owned and operated by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), the important freight and commercial connector is reaching the end of its service life, and without this reconstruction project, was projected to close by 2030. The bridge has been load-posted since 2019 and can no longer carry overweight freight loads.

More than 33,000 vehicles cross the bridge each day, including commuters and visitors. Each year, more than 265,000 trucks transporting nearly $4 billion in goods pass over the St. Louis River. Many businesses across the upper Midwest rely on the bridge to reach the Port of Duluth-Superior, the largest U.S. port on the Great Lakes. The bridge is also one of the largest marine links for U.S. trade with Canada, the top trade partner of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the United States.

Minnesota and Wisconsin each committed $400 million for the replacement project. In addition, after years of advocacy from Governor Walz and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) supporters in both states, the Biden Administration’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act awarded a $1 billion Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight and Highway Projects program (INFRA) grant to MnDOT and WisDOT for the project in January 2024.

In June 2026, MnDOT and WisDOT opened bids for the project. After receiving two contractor bids, Ames-Kraemer Joint Venture II was awarded the contract. The design-build process will be used for the project, allowing for efficient coordination between the design team and the construction team, lower costs, and a more innovative design and construction.

“This iconic Blatnik Bridge project will be one of the largest in our region’s history. This isn’t a temporary construction job. This is a long-term project that will provide long-term careers for many folks in the Northland, providing for their families for years to come,” said Jack Carlson, Duluth Building Trades president. “An apprentice can start working on the project, and by the time the bridge is built, it could be a quarter of their career. That is what Northlanders need the most. Steady, strong, great-paying careers without having to travel to find work. That’s time at home with their families; that’s why it is important that we have these work opportunities.”

“Today’s groundbreaking marks the beginning of that work and an important investment in the future of our region. The Blatnik Bridge is a vital connection between two communities, two states, and the people, businesses, and families who depend on it every day. Replacing this bridge is a generational investment in the future of the Twin Ports. It will strengthen our economy and make this vital transportation connection safer and more reliable for decades to come,” Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert said. “The construction and closure will require patience and cooperation on both sides of the bridge. Mayor Paine and I are confident that Duluth and Superior will continue to work together throughout the project to minimize, as best we can, the necessary impact and disruption to both our communities resulting from a project of this size and scale."

“The Blatnik Bridge construction project is integral to the continued vitality and success of Superior and our Twin Ports community,” said Kelly Peterson, executive director of the Superior Business Improvement District and president of the Twin Ports Business Alliance. “We appreciate the DOTs’ partnership throughout the planning process and their understanding that our local businesses are at the heart of this significant investment in our future. Those businesses will absorb the disruptions today and through the length of the project, so our entire region will benefit tomorrow. We are committed to continue working closely with the DOTs to minimize the impact and ensure our local businesses in Superior and the Twin Ports emerge stronger, more connected and ready for our next 100 years.”

“The Blatnik Bridge is far more than a connection between Duluth and Superior; it is a critical link in our regional economy and the national supply chain,” said Kevin Beardsley, Duluth Seaway Port Authority executive director. “This historic investment will strengthen the Port of Duluth-Superior, improve the safe and reliable movement of people and freight, and position our region for continued economic growth for generations to come. This is truly a once-in-a-generation project, and we are incredibly grateful to the state and federal partners who made it possible.”

Final design of the bridge will conclude in late 2027, with early construction beginning in 2026. The complete bridge closure for approximately four to five years will begin in early 2027. The project is scheduled for completion in 2032.

More information on the Blatnik project can be found on the project website.