Several States Achieve Progress on Major Bridge Projects

AASHTO March 20, 2026

For example, Minnesota recently secured more than $1 billion in federal investments to replace the John A. Blatnik Bridge between Duluth, MN, and Superior, WI – clearing the way for the largest public works project in that state’s history.

The Blatnik Bridge – which originally opened in 1961 and is nearing the end of its service life – is jointly owned and managed by the Minnesota Department of Transportation and Wisconsin Department of Transportation, carries I-535 over St. Louis Bay, and handles approximately 33,000 vehicles daily. It is also a critical freight corridor, supporting more than $3.7 billion in goods movement annually between the Twin Ports.

The replacement of the Blatnik Bridge is estimated to cost $1.8 billion, with Minnesota and Wisconsin each committing $400 million in state funding to the construction of a new structure and MnDOT tagged to lead the project. The project received a more than $1 billion federal grant in January 2024 after passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which the U.S. Department of Transportation finalized this week. Preliminary construction is expected to begin in late 2026.

View the full article: AASHTOJournal.Transportation.org