The Minnesota and Wisconsin departments of transportation have revealed the final design for the future $1.8 billion Blatnik Bridge to replace a key connection between the two states.
The DOTs opted for a tied-arch design after considering a cable-stayed orientation. This new bridge is expected to have a service life of 100 years.
To see the newly released rendering of the Blatnik Bridge, scroll to the end of this article.
In a presentation discussing the renderings, state officials said the tied-arch design allows for one-phase construction, shorter overall construction duration and was the lowest-cost alternative. Ames-Kraemer Joint Venture II’s bid of $930 million for the bridge’s design-build contract was recently named the apparent best value proposer.
The DOTs estimate the existing bridge will close in February or March 2027 with demolition to begin shortly after. The new main span is set to float in in Fall 2027/Winter 2028, and the bridge’s current construction schedule calls for completion by 2032.
The future Blatnik Bridge will add a shared-use path and a new interchange into Superior. Both states aim to address aging infrastructure and improve safety and accommodations for oversized and overweight loads. Each state will contribute $400 million toward the final structure, and earlier this year, the project received over $1 billion in federal funds for a total cost of roughly $1.8 billion.
Powered byThe 65-year-old Blatnik Bridge is one of two bridges that connects Duluth and Superior and carries 33,000 vehicles daily. It is jointly owned by MnDOT and WisDOT and is the second-longest bridge in Minnesota. Without a replacement, the bridge — a critical access route to the Port of Duluth-Superior that currently faces weight restrictions and traffic safety issues — would close in 2030.
Renderings Revealed
Minnesota DOT
Minnesota DOT
Minnesota DOT
Minnesota DOT
