Govs. Walz and Evers asking for $1 billion for a new Blatnik Bridge

DULUTH — The Minnesota Department of Transportation and Wisconsin Department of Transportation are seeking $1 billion in federal funding to rebuild the Blatnik Bridge — the more than 60-year-old primary connector between Duluth and Superior, Wis., that is nearing the end of its lifespan.

The neighboring states, partners on the project, jointly submitted an application last week for funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. On Monday, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced their intent to rebuild and modernize the Blatnik Bridge as quickly as possible.

"The Blatnik Bridge connects the Twin Ports communities and economies of Duluth and Superior — it provides a vital route for regional commerce, tourism and emergency services," Walz said in a news release.

Both states have committed $400 million toward the project.

The project did not receive a similar federal grant last year — one that was specific to bridge investments and administered through the Federal Highway Administration, according to MnDOT spokeswoman Pippi Mayfield. The recent application is for a single-opportunity multimodal projects discretionary grant through the Department of Transportation.

Mayfield said it isn't possible to gauge the likelihood of the project receiving this funding.

"We're up against projects throughout the U.S., so it's a major competition," she said.

The Blatnik Bridge carries traffic traveling on Interstate 535 and U.S. 53, and more than 33,000 vehicles per day cross it. Per year, 265,000 trucks carrying $2.6 billion in domestic goods and $1.07 billion in international goods use this route. The bridge straddles the St. Louis Bay.

"The Blatnik Bridge is overdue for an upgrade, and we are ready to act and no longer rely on regular maintenance efforts," WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson said in a news release.

Planning for the project began in 2020. The four-lane, 1.5-mile Blatnik is one of two major spans connecting the cities. Transportation officials in the past have cited structure, vehicle mobility and safety as reasons for a new bridge — which was finished in 1961 and expected to last 70 years. A multiuse path, which it currently lacks, is also part of the plan. It could potentially be used by service vehicles, without disrupting traffic.

During construction, traffic would be redirected to the less-traveled Richard I. Bong Memorial Bridge, which also connects the cities.

In December 2022, transportation officials shared with the public potential plans for the alignment and interchange of the bridge. The next public update on design is scheduled for Oct. 3 at the Superior Public Library.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar said she sent letters to Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg supporting the application for funding. Klobuchar, Sen. Tina Smith and Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin urged President Joe Biden to fund the bridge project in 2022.

"This bridge is critical to the regional economy and keeps our communities connected, which is why I am calling on the Administration to grant Minnesota and Wisconsin's funding application to replace the bridge," Klobuchar said in a statement.

In late June, Baldwin and Evers held a news conference near the bridge and emphasized the need for the Biden administration to invest in a renewed connector between the cities. Baldwin doubled-down on her support in a news release Monday.