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Blatnik Bridge connecting Minnesota, Wisconsin to undergo $1.8B reconstruction

By FOX 9 Staff
Duluth
Published August 31, 2026 10:06 AM CDT
Published August 31, 2026 10:06 AM CDT
article

A rendering of the new Blatnik Bridge main span. (MnDOT / Supplied)

The Brief

    • Gov. Tim Walz will join lawmakers and crews for a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday to mark the start of the Blatnik Bridge reconstruction project in Duluth, Minnesota.
    • The roughly 65-year-old bridge connecting Duluth and Superior, Wisconsin is set for a reconstruction project estimated at $1.8 billion.
    • Construction officially begins in September after six years of planning and is expected to take up to five years to complete.

DULUTH, Minn. (FOX 9) - A major bridge connecting two states is getting a long-overdue overhaul. Gov. Tim Walz will join lawmakers and construction crews in Duluth on Monday to mark the start of one of the region's biggest infrastructure projects in recent memory.

Bridge connecting Minnesota, Wisconsin to undergo construction

The backstory:

The Blatnik Bridge, which spans the border between Duluth and Superior, Wisconsin, is about 65 years old and has been in rough shape in recent years. It is one of only two bridges connecting the two cities and serves an average of 33,000 cars every day. It is also Minnesota's second-longest bridge.

By the numbers:

The reconstruction carries a price tag of $1.8 billion. The federal government is providing $1 billion in funding, with both Minnesota and Wisconsin contributing to cover the remaining costs. The Minnesota Department of Transportation is leading the project.

Construction is set to officially begin in September, following six years of planning. The project is expected to take up to five years to complete.

Groundbreaking ceremony

Local perspective:

Governor Tim Walz will break ground and celebrate the start of the Blatnik Bridge reconstruction project in a ceremony at 1 p.m. Monday. He will be joined by Minnesota Department of Transportation Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger and U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith. 

The Source: Information in this story comes from the Minnesota Department of Transportation and a press release from Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's office. 

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