UPDATE: MnDOT Changes Date Of Blatnik Bridge Closure

As crews continue to work on the $435 million Twin Ports interchange project, there is a new round of closures on the way that will impact travel in the Northland, especially for those who use the Blatnik Bridge between Duluth and Superior.

Reconstructing the I-35/I-535/Hwy 53 interchange requires a year-round effort and while the new closures are inconvenient for motorists, the good news is that most impactful is a real sign that progress is being made.

Also, as has been the case with previous closures, these are not long-term situations to deal with.

New I-35 Single Lane Closures

The Minnesota Department of Transportation has announced that I-35 single-lane closures will occur in both directions between 27th Avenue West and Garfield Avenue on Wednesday, August 14, from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

UPDATED I-535 Blatnik Bridge Closure Date

The I-535 Blatnik Bridge was originally scheduled to be completely closed from 6:00 a.m. Thursday, August 15, through 6:00 a.m. Friday, August 16. The closure of the Blatnik Bridge is necessary to complete final bypass connections providing direct access to/from northbound and southbound I-35.

However, on Tuesday, MnDOT announced that the date of the closure has been changed. The Blatnik Bridge will now be closed from 6 a.m. on Monday, August 19, through 6 a.m. on Tuesday, August 20.

Motorists are urged to drive without distractions, be patient, and be mindful of work crews on the road.

The Twin Ports Interchange Project looks to improve safety by:

Providing a new conventional design
Relocating all exits and entrances to the right side of the roadway
Improving merging sight distance and eliminating merge conflicts
Eliminating weaving problems near the interchange
Providing lane continuity for through I-35 traffic

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Construction is expected to be completed around the summer of 2026 when landscaping and clean-up are expected to begin.

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The video below shows what the freeway will look like when completed from a motorist’s view heading north on I-35 through the Twin Ports Interchange area, then heading to southbound I-35 from I-535, or the Blatnik Bridge, through the Twin Ports Interchange area.

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Gallery Credit: Stacker

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To find out more about how has the price of gas changed throughout the years, Stacker ran the numbers on the cost of a gallon of gasoline for each of the last 84 years. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (released in April 2020), we analyzed the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline from 1976 to 2020 along with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for unleaded regular gasoline from 1937 to 1976, including the absolute and inflation-adjusted prices for each year.

Read on to explore the cost of gas over time and rediscover just how much a gallon was when you first started driving.

Gallery Credit: Sophia Crisafulli