Bridge history adds new page

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The Blatnik Bridge, seen at sunrise, spans the St. Louis River.

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What is now called the Blatnik Bridge is under construction in 1961.

Wisconsin Historical Society

A photo taken from below shows construction in 1961 of the Duluth-Superior bridge.

Wisconsin Historical Society

The Duluth and Superior Bridge opens in July 1897. A toll bridge was comprised of long wooden trestles on each end. The 485-foot steel-truss swing span was between two 325-foot steel humpback trusses. After the new ‘High Bridge’ – later renamed the Blatnik Bridge – was opened in 1961, traffic dwindled and the swing span was locked open. It was mostly removed in the 1970s. Photo was taken Sept. 5, 1906.

Wisconsin Historical Society

The Bong Bridge, which links Interstate 35 in Minnesota with Wisconsin Highway 2, is dedicated in 1985.

Wisconsin Historical Society

The Aerial Lift Bridge along with the entrance to the Duluth-Superior Harbor is photographed in 1913.

Wisconsin Historical Society

The Superior, Wisconsin, harbor is shown on a 1915 postcard.

Wisconsin Historical Society

A salty unloads a cargo of cement. The natural land spit that protects the harbor at Port Duluth-Superior from Lake Superior beyond is seen from the Blatnik Bridge. The bridge is the main artery connecting Superior, Wisconsin, to Duluth, Minnesota.

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Railroad cars are moved by a locomotive in a railyard next to the Blatnik Bridge. Modern ports have intermodal shipping that makes road, rail and water access essential for the shipment of cargo.

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The remnant of an old bridge is framed by the rising sun in Port Duluth-Superior. The structure, now used for fishing, is dwarfed by modern bridges.

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A sign warns anglers that a favorite fishing spot in Duluth under the Blatnik Bridge will be closed during upcoming construction.

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Concrete supports of diminishing size support the Blatnik Bridge as it provides Wisconsin access to Duluth, Minnesota. Weather, salt and traffic wear out bridges through the decades. The bridge will be razed and replaced in a multi-year project beginning in 2027.

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The Richard I. Bong Memorial Bridge spans the St. Louis River. Almost 18,000 vehicles use the bridge during an average day of travel between Superior, Wisconsin, and Duluth, Minnesota. The amount of traffic will increase markedly when the Blatnik Bridge closes in 2027.

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The remnant of an old bridge, left, is dwarfed by one of its successors, the Blatnik Bridge. The Blatnik Bridge will soon be replaced by a new span between Superior, Wisconsin, and Duluth, Minnesota.

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A brass plaque commemorates the digging of the Duluth Ship Canal by spirited citizens. They were rushing in 1871 to complete the connection between Lake Superior and the St. Louis River before a court injunction stopping the work arrived from Washington, D.C.

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A lighthouse stands as a beacon at the entrance to the Duluth Ship Canal at Port Duluth-Superior.

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The Aerial Lift Bridge stands in autumn sun as it spans the Duluth Ship Canal. The bridge is owned by the City of Duluth.

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A sign instructs pedestrians when exiting the Aerial Lift Bridge before it’s raised for ship traffic in the Duluth Ship Canal. The deck of the bridge achieves a height of 135 feet above the water when fully raised.

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The deck of the Aerial Lift Bridge is raised as a ship in the Duluth Ship Canal approaches. The deck is raised on the hour and the half hour when ships are present during the shipping season.

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The St. Louis River flows wide and swift as it meanders into Lake Superior. The river marks the divide between Wisconsin and Minnesota; 200 years ago the river formed a natural harbor protected by a miles-long spit of land. The mouth of the river entered the lake at a place now called the Wisconsin Entrance.

Jason Maloney mug — Jason Maloney and Red

Jason Maloney is an “elderly” farm boy from Marinette County, Wisconsin. He’s a retired educator, a retired soldier and a lifelong Wisconsin resident. He lives on the shore of Lake Superior with his wife, Cindy Dillenschneider, and Red, a sturdy loyal Australian Shepherd.