Officials announced Monday that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded nearly $1.06 billion in federal funding to replace the aging John A. Blatnik Bridge between Superior and Duluth, Minnesota, according to the Associated Press.
The bridge is an important freight and commercial connection between the Duluth–Superior Twin Ports and serves more than 33,000 vehicles per day. It is jointly owned and managed by the Minnesota DOT and the Wisconsin DOT.
For more than 60 years, the bridge has linked Duluth and Superior via Interstate 535 and US 53.
It 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. The bridge replacement project will improve safety and accommodate oversize and overweight loads.
The total cost for rebuilding the bridge is estimated to be $1.8 billion. Each state committed $400 million toward the project last year. Design work for the project is expected to begin this year. Once a final design is selected, construction could begin as early as next year.
