Parsons Corporation has secured design oversight and construction oversight contracts for the replacement of the John A. Blatnik Bridge, a project valued at between $1.1 billion and $1.4 billion. The Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation are advancing the project through a design-build delivery model.
The existing bridge, which opened in 1961, carries approximately 33,900 vehicles daily on Interstate 535 between Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin. It serves as a key freight corridor connecting the Upper Midwest with eastern Canada and provides access across the Port of Duluth-Superior, one of North America’s major inland ports.
Project teams will construct the new bridge along the existing alignment and provide a direct connection to U.S. Highway 53 in Superior. The replacement structure will cross two active navigation channels, two rail corridors, and several city streets. Parsons previously completed preliminary engineering work and will continue supporting the project through design and construction.
Transportation agencies plan to begin design-build activities in fall 2026. To meet the five-year construction schedule, crews will close and demolish the existing bridge early in the project, with traffic detoured to U.S. Highway 2. The new bridge is expected to open to traffic in 2031.
The project will improve freight movement, enhance traffic operations, and strengthen a critical transportation link between Minnesota and Wisconsin.