Minnesota and Wisconsin Governors Show Support for Dual Construction Project

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers both get behind an important construction project to keep the states connected.

Walz and Evers both released statements in support of the Blatnik Bridge replacement project, this important bridge connects Duluth and Superior and is a "critical connection point for transportation and commerce between Minnesota and Wisconsin – and it needs an upgrade," said Walz

The project is expected to cost $1.8 billion with Minnesota and Wisconsin each chipping in $400 million and the federal government kicking in with the remaining $1 billion. The joint statement came as Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation have officially requested over $1 billion in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bridge Investment Program.

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Governor Evers said, "This submittal is a major step forward for our two states, and I look forward to continuing to work with Gov. Walz and our partners in Minnesota and our federal partners to build the 21st-century infrastructure the people of our states deserve."

The Blatnik Bridge opened in 1961 and was designed to last 70 years, planning started in 2020 to discuss options for replacing the bridge that handles over 33,000 vehicles per day and well over 250,000 trucks that transport billions of dollars in domestic and international goods. The bridge is owned and managed by the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

The project is currently in the early phases of design, fact-finding, and public discussion, the final design for the bridge is expected in 2025 and the multi-year demolition of the old bridge and construction of a new one is expected to start in 2025-26 and last until at least 2032.