In an more and more frequent chorus, three U.S. senators from Wisconsin and Minnesota are calling for the discharge of federal funds to permit for the $1.8-billion alternative of the Blatnik Bridge, a key freight and commuter hyperlink between Duluth, Minn., and Superior, Wis., to maneuver ahead.
Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) wrote a joint letter March 2 to U.S. Dept of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy demanding ultimate approval and launch of a $1.05 billion federal grant for the challenge, which is scheduled to begin in fall 2026.
The bridge, which dates to the early Sixties, carries Interstate 535 and serves a median of 33,000 automobiles a day touring over St. Louis Bay. It’s important for freight motion and industrial visitors serving the Twin Ports of Duluth and Superior however has fallen into poor situation with important structural deterioration, creating critical capability, mobility and security issues, the letter says.
“The parents in Minnesota and Wisconsin who’re planning the 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 ultimate inexperienced gentle for this challenge to maneuver ahead so we will hold Wisconsinites secure and help the native financial system,” Baldwin stated.
The Minnesota Dept. of Transportation and the Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation, which collectively personal the bridge, acquired the dedication for federal funding in 2024 by means of the Infrastructure Funding and Jobs Act. The state businesses plan to separate the remaining prices and have every put aside $400 million for the challenge. They submitted an amended grant settlement to USDOT in October 2025.
If federal funding continues to be withheld, the challenge’s value—which incorporates changing the the bridge’s structural parts and restoring it to its authentic operational situation—will rise considerably, in response to transportation businesses.
“If the grant modification isn’t signed quickly and development of the brand new bridge is delayed, this can trigger a big improve in value and a serious shift in schedule. Inflation alone is estimated at $80 million per 12 months for the challenge,” the businesses stated.
In November 2025, the transportation businesses named a brief listing of contractors for the challenge: Ames Kramer Joint Enterprise II and Lunda Development Firm. A contractor is slated to be chosen on June 23, 2026.
The plea for the discharge of federal funds by lawmakers is turning into acquainted because the Trump administration withholds billions of {dollars} from main infrastructure initiatives, principally in Democratic-led states and cities.
Affected initiatives embody the $2.1-billion Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Crimson Line extension, the $1.2-billion Nice Lakes Asian Carp Barrier Venture in Illinois, and the $16-billion Hudson Tunnel Venture (Gateway Program) in New York/New Jersey.
U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI) stated in a press release that he expects the federal funds to return by means of, however didn’t predict when.
“The Blatnik Bridge reconstruction has bipartisan help from the Wisconsin and Minnesota delegations, and I’m assured the Trump administration will get this vital challenge accomplished. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy understands how important this bridge is to the Twin Ports and can work to make sure its alternative will get carried out,” he stated.
If it’s not changed, the bridge is deliberate to shut solely by 2030, state officers stated.
