MnDOT, WisDOT to present $1.8B Blatnik Bridge designs at open house

The states of Wisconsin and Minnesota will soon share initial design plans for the $1.8 billion Blatnik Bridge overhaul at a public information meeting in Superior.

The meeting is scheduled 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 12 in the Superior High School Performing Arts Center at 2600 Catlin Ave. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the Minnesota Department of Transportation will host the event and hold a brief presentation at 5:15 p.m.

Both agencies are leading a project to replace the 65-year-old bridge that carries Interstate 535 over the St. Louis Bay. It’s a link for freight and commuter traffic between Duluth, Minn. and Superior.

Development of a replacement has gone on since 2020. The states eventually settled on building over the bridge’s current alignment after exploring 25 alternatives. The project is fueled by a mix of federal funding – the biggest portion with $1.05 billion – and funding from both states.

Ames-Kraemer Joint Venture II, a partnership between Plain-based Kraemer North America and Burnsville, Minnesota-based Ames Construction, won the low bid for construction, Engineering News-Record reported.

Kraemer and Ames bid $930 million on the project, according to MnDOT. They won against Black River Falls-based Lunda Construction, the only other company shortlisted in the project’s request for proposals.

The prime contractor will be available to share information on the new bridge design, traffic impacts expected in the fall and the project timeline, WisDOT officials said.

Parsons Corp., an infrastructure firm based in Virginia, will provide design and construction oversight contracts for the project, ENR reported. The company has been part of the project since the preliminary engineering design phase.

Construction is scheduled to start in the fall of 2026 and is expected to wrap up in 2032, MnDOT officials said. The bridge will be completely closed for up to five years starting in early 2027, they added.

After completion, the new bridge’s lifespan is expected to last 100 years.