Blatnik Bridge replacement gets underway

After years of planning, work on the replacement of the John A. Blatnik Bridge between Superior and Duluth is getting underway.

According to a press release, Gov. Tony Evers, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz joined more than 100 project team members, stakeholders and elected officials Monday for a groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of the project.

The Blatnik Bridge opened in 1961 and carries more than 33,000 vehicles each day. It is also a major freight route, with about 265,000 trucks carrying nearly $4 billion in goods across the bridge each year.

The replacement is expected to cost about $1.8 billion. More than $1 billion is coming from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Wisconsin and Minnesota have each committed $400 million.

“Replacing Blatnik Bridge is a once-in-a-generation infrastructure project that will not only create thousands of jobs but will support the 21st-century needs of our people, our workforces, and our economies,” Evers said in a press release.

Construction will take place in phases before the existing bridge fully closes in early 2027. The closure is expected to last about four to five years.

The new bridge is expected to open to traffic in 2031, with the overall project wrapping up in 2032.