MnDOT and WisDOT are working toward a future project to address concerns about the John A. Blatnik Bridge, one of two bridges that connects Duluth, Minn., to Superior, Wis. Carrying I-535 over the St. Louis Bay, the Blatnik is an important freight and commercial connection between the Twin Ports.
Jointly owned and managed by MnDOT and WisDOT, it is Minnesota's second longest bridge and serves an average of 33,021 cars traveling between the two cities each day. MnDOT will lead the project, which will address aging infrastructure, improve safety and better accommodate oversize/overweight loads.
2024 Traffic Impacts
July 8-25: Motorists travelling on the I-535 Blatnik Bridge will encounter both northbound and southbound lane closures Monday through Friday during daytime hours. These closures are needed for inspections and routine bridge maintenance.
Federal INFRA grant
MnDOT and WisDOT received word Monday, Jan. 22, that the two states received more than $1 billion in the form of the federal INFRA grant to replace the Blatnik Bridge. Since then, the Department of Transportation has released a new video talking about Blatnik Bridge and how President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) is creating jobs, improving lives and creating stronger communities.
