D1 - I-535 Blatnik Bridge in Duluth: 2027 construction
 
 MnDOT Commissioner Nancy Daubenberger speaks to the crowd prior to revealing the apparent best value contractor on the Blatnik Bridge project.
On Tuesday, June 23, bids opened for the Blatnik Bridge replacement project. While this happens for all projects, because of the historical significance of the project, MnDOT and WisDOT employees gathered in St. Paul to witness the event. Ames-Kraemer Joint Venture II was the apparent best value proposer.
More explanation of this milestone can be found in June's issue of The Connector.
MnDOT, lead agency on the project, chose the design-build process for the Blatnik Bridge project. This means MnDOT and WisDOT define the standards and general specifications expected for the bridge project and then hire a contractor to design and construct the bridge to satisfy those requirements. This process was chosen for efficient coordination between the design team and the construction team, a lower cost and more innovative design and construction.
MnDOT often uses a best-value system for design-build projects, which combines a bidder’s technical score and price into a single adjusted score. The lowest adjusted score at project letting determines who will be awarded the contract for the project. Two contractors bid on the Blatnik project. Ames-Kraemer Joint Venture II’s bid was $930 million.
MnDOT and WisDOT anticipate having the project awarded within 60 days, but until then, the states cannot discuss confidential details of Ames-Kraemer Joint Venture II’s technical proposal. A public meeting will be held in early September to share details about the upcoming bridge replacement project, including revealing the new bridge design.
 Allstate Peterbilt hosts a ribbon cutting at its new facility on June 18.
Replacing the Blatnik Bridge required Allstate Peterbilt of Superior to move, and the company celebrated the grand opening of its new facility at 2929 Belknap St., on June 18.
Members of the Superior Douglas County Chamber of Commerce, local business leaders and city and state officials were on hand for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Allstate Peterbilt also offered tours, a chance to meet with vendors and lunch.
The company’s new 22,500-square foot facility features 12 service bays, expanded parts storage and improved access at its new location at the foot of the Bong Bridge.
Allstate Peterbilt’s relocation was facilitated through the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s standard relocation assistance program while the company made its own additional investments to enhance the new facility.
The company’s investment into the expanded infrastructure shows a commitment to continue operating and providing services in the community for years to come.
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 Crews use snoopers to look under bridges for any concerns or needed repairs.
The nearly 8,000-foot Blatnik Bridge between Duluth and Superior is expected to undergo its final annual safety inspection this summer.
A safety inspection of the Blatnik, which results in lane closures for one to three weeks, is required every year, which is double the standard inspection frequency of other bridges.
These rigorous yearly checks are crucial to maintain the safety of the aging structure, which has faced weight restrictions and required ongoing structural repairs. The bridge opened to traffic in December 1961.
The Blatnik Bridge is expected to be closed to traffic in early 2027 and demolished to make way for the construction of its replacement.
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Being part of the Blatnik Bridge project at this point in my career means a great deal to me. I grew up in Duluth, and every time I come over the hill, I’m reminded of how important this connection is to our communities.
The public often sees the equipment roll in and construction begin, but so much work happens long before that stage. When you live it every day, you see the depth of planning, coordination and teamwork that makes a project of this scale possible.
This project also represents the culmination of decades of major work for me. From the Highway 53 bridge to the Twin Ports Interchange, I’ve been fortunate to help deliver projects that strengthen this region. What makes the Blatnik especially meaningful is the team behind it — two states, dedicated partners, contractors, consultants and agency staff all pulling in the same direction. That collective commitment is what brings a project of this magnitude to life.
I’m proud to contribute to a project that will serve the community for decades to come. Major efforts like this remind me why I’ve dedicated my career to this work — they create connections that endure, they move communities forward and they leave behind a legacy we can all be proud of. ~Pat Huston, MnDOT project director
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What will the new bridge look like?
From the start of outreach, one of the most asked questions MnDOT and WisDOT has received is what will the new bridge look like? And now, even though we are more than five years along in the process, the states still cannot reveal what the design will look like.
For the design-build process, the states developed the project to a certain degree. Contractors bidding on the project then carried the design forward. MnDOT and WisDOT narrowed bridge types down to either a tied-arch bridge (similar to the Bong Bridge) or a cable-stay bridge (similar to the Martin Olav Sabo Bridge in Minneapolis). The two contractors developed the project with their desired vision for the final bridge, and those proposals were scored on technical value. That design is confidential until the contract is executed within the next 60 days.
A visual quality committee was formed a couple years ago to give guidance on colors, textures, railing, lighting, landscaping, pier caps, interpretive signage and other features of the bridge.
A public meeting will be held in early September to reveal the bridge design and more details about the project.
For more FAQs, visit the project website.
Top: Aerial view of the erection in span 19. Taken Nov. 30, 1960.
Bottom left: Duluth approach looking north. Taken March 30, 1961.
Bottom right: Looking north from pier 4. Taken March 1, 1961.
More information
For more project information, please visit the project website.
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