Duluth’s historic Aerial Lift Bridge finally getting a major makeover

DULUTH – The city’s famed Aerial Lift Bridge is finally set for a major restoration, after years of attempts to secure funding to replace corroded steel, failing sidewalks and cracking concrete.

U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, along with Rep. Pete Stauber, announced an $11.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation on Tuesday, by way of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s RAISE program.

Roughly $20 million is needed for a raft of repairs that Duluth public works and utilities director Jim Benning has said were serious enough that the city risked isolating the Park Point neighborhood that connects to the city via the bridge.

“In one fell swoop,” the city will be able to replace pedestrian walkways and the bridge deck, repaint the structure and make other long-deferred improvements to the historic port gateway, Benning said in a Tuesday release.

The grant will also pay for lead abatement and significant repairs to the lift span and overhead truss.

Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert said the grant pushes the city close to the total amount needed for the project, with some work already underway. Attempts to win state bonding money for the project have failed in recent years, but the city will again lobby for it this year.

“The Aerial Lift Bridge isn’t just a bridge,” Reinert said in a statement. “It’s a cherished Minnesota icon, a significant entryway to the Port of Duluth-Superior, and a critical point of connection for residents and visitors alike.”

More than 6,000 vehicles cross the 500-foot-long bridge daily. Roughly 900 boats carrying 35 million short tons of freight pass underneath annually, city officials have said.

In a news release, Klobuchar called the bridge a “landmark and a vital part of Duluth’s transportation system,” noting it also supports water and other infrastructure for Park Point residents.

Stauber, who voted against the infrastructure bill, called the bridge “fundamental to the successful operation of our international port, which is why it is imperative that we maintain its upkeep for years to come.”

Much of the work, especially on the truss, must take place during the commercial shipping industry’s winter off-season, making it more expensive. While some of the major repairs will start this year, the renovations will likely take several seasons.

The bridge was completed in 1905, and placed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1973. It was described in its nomination as “the unofficial symbol for the City of Duluth, representing its position as the world’s largest freshwater port.”