Senators Demand Funding Release for $1.8B Blatnik Bridge Replacement

Two teams are shortlisted for the project that faces delay if federal funding is not awarded swiftly

test — Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Dept. of Transportation

The Minnesota Dept. of Transportation and Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation are warning that if federal funds are not released swiftly, the cost to replace the Blatnik bridge that connects the two states, could balloon by at least $80 million.

In an increasingly common refrain, three U.S. senators from Wisconsin and Minnesota are demanding release of federal funds to enable work to move forward on the $1.8-billion replacement of Blatnik Bridge—a key freight and commuter link between Duluth, Minn. and Superior, Wis. that dates to the early 1960s.

Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) wrote a joint letter March 2 to U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy seeking final approval and release of a $1.05-billion federal grant for the project, which is set to start this fall.

The bridge carries Interstate-535 and serves an average of 33,000 daily vehicles traveling over St. Louis Bay. It is essential for freight movement and commercial traffic serving Duluth and Superior but is in poor condition with significant structural deterioration, creating serious capacity, mobility and safety concerns, the letter says.

“The folks in Minnesota and Wisconsin who are planning reconstruction of the Blatnik Bridge have dotted their I’s and crossed their T’s. Now it’s time the President and Secretary Duffy give the final green light for this project to move forward," Baldwin said.

The Minnesota and Wisconsin transportation departments, which jointly own the bridge, received the commitment for federal funding in 2024 through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The state agencies plan to split remaining costs and have each set aside $400 million for the project. They submitted an amended grant agreement to the federal DOT in October 2025.

If federal funding continues to be withheld, the project cost—which includes replacing bridge structural elements and restoring it to its original operational condition—will rise significantly, according to the agencies.

“If the grant amendment is not signed soon and construction of the new bridge is delayed, this will cause a large increase in cost and a major shift in schedule. Inflation alone is estimated at $80 million per year for the project,” the agencies said.

In November 2025, the agencies named a short list of contractors for the project: Ames Kramer Joint Venture II and Lunda Construction Co. A contractor is set to be chosen on June 23.

The lawmakers' plea for release of federal funds is becoming familiar as the Trump administration withholds billions of dollars from major infrastructure projects, mostly in Democratic-led states and cities.

Affected projects include the $2.1-billion Chicago Transit Authority Red Line extension, the $1.2-billion Great Lakes Asian Carp Barrier Project in Illinois and the $16-billion Hudson Tunnel Project (Gateway Program) in New York/New Jersey.

U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) said in a statement that he expects the federal funds to come through but did not predict when.

“The Blatnik Bridge reconstruction has bipartisan support from the Wisconsin and Minnesota delegations, and I am confident the Trump administration will get this important project completed," he said. "Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy understands how vital this bridge is to [Duluth and Superior] and will work to ensure its replacement gets done."

If it is not replaced, the bridge is planned to be closed entirely by 2030, state officials said.