DULUTH, MN –U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Tuesday that more than $1 billion has been delivered to fund replacement of a major bridge connecting Duluth and Superior. The money will go to fund the $1.8 billion replacement of the Blatnik Bridge.
Earlier this month, Gov. Tony Evers and U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin were among Democrats who had urged Duffy to sign an amended grant agreement and release $1.05 billion awarded for the project. Built in 1961, the bridge is set to close in 2030 due to its age and deteriorating condition.
The Wisconsin and Minnesota Departments of Transportation had said construction couldn’t begin otherwise, warning that project costs may rise by tens of millions of dollars if funds were delayed. Around $4 billion in goods pass over the bridge each year.
Wisconsin and Minnesota have each set aside $400 million for replacement of the aging bridge, which is set to close completely beginning next year. The Blatnik Bridge replacement will employ around 1,100 workers during construction. The project is now set to go out for bid in June.
Superior’s mayor estimates the project will take five to seven years and says the city is preparing for “a total reordering of our economy and way of life” until the new bridge is finished.
Wisconsin Public Radio – https://www.wpr.org/news/us-transportation-secretary-sean-duffy-releases-1b-for-major-twin-ports-bridge-project
The Blatnick Bridge will be replaced. [Wisconsin Public Radio]
