UPDATED: Federal government delivers $1 billion to replace Blatnik Bridge

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Wisconsin and Minnesota will receive more than $1.05 billion to replace the John A. Blatnik Bridge between Duluth and Superior.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation and Wisconsin Department of Transportation are leading an effort to replace the bridge’s aging superstructure, which has operated for more than 60 years. In December, governors of both states requested funding from federal transportation officials to keep the flow of goods going between Superior, Wis. and Duluth, Minn.

The award comes from INFRA, or the Nationally Significant Multimodal Freight & Highway Projects program. The program awards competitive grants for multimodal freight and highway projects, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The grant stems from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the trillion-dollar legislation that opened funding to transportation projects across the country. The grant announcement coincided with news of President Joe Biden’s visit to Superior on Thursday.

“I have been pushing the Biden Administration at every turn to fund this project because a new Blatnik Bridge is critical for our economy, safety, and way of life,” U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin said in a statement. “With this investment, we can ensure that billions of dollars’ worth of products can get to market efficiently, families can get to work on time, and millions of travelers get to their destinations safely,” she added.

“I have been glad to work closely with Senator Baldwin and other state and federal partners to secure the necessary investments to replace the Blatnik Bridge here at the end of its service life, and I’m proud to be able to say today that our hard work has paid off,” said Gov. Tony Evers.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz also confirmed the allocation on social media.

“This investment will foster regional economic growth, strengthen our national supply chains, and improve the safety and reliability of our transportation network. I’m grateful for the partnership of (Evers), our Congressional leaders, and President Biden in making this happen,” Walz said in a post on X.

MnDOT announced last month it will use a “design-build” process to improve collaboration between project teams and possibly lower costs. The commitment hinged on whether the federal government grant to contract the entire project at once.

Both states will chip in more than $400 million, as an agreement requires a 50/50 cost share for all border bridges, according to a report. Officials from Ever’s office said design work is expected to start in 2024 and construction could begin in 2025.

In December, Evers and Walz said they requested funding through two separate BIL-supported programs through the U.S. Department of Transportation. In 2022, the states requested funding through a bridge improvement program but weren’t selected for that round.