Sea Wall Repairs Moving Forward

If a Sea Wall Isn't Fixed They will Corrode Over Time

DULUTH, Minn. –  Constant waves coming in across the harbor and rolling underneath the bottom of the seawall have led to its corrosion.

Now the city is trying to repair the damages.

The repairs on the sea wall is made up of two sections the Minnesota Slip and another area near the DECC (Duluth Entertainment Convention Center).

The Minnesota slip is where the Irvin is docked and is the most problematic.

It has the most damage due to the undermining from the wave action along the sea wall itself.

The city is taking the steps to make the repairs that could cost millions, with funding coming from the DECC, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“We’ve already arranged funding from a couple of different sources. one we are using in conjunction with a partnership with the DECC,” said Chief Administrative Officer Dave Montgomery . “The savings we’ve incurred and are achieving from the refinancing of the bonds that we used to build the Amsoil Arena.”

The sea wall around the Minnesota Slip is also a safety concern.

The city recently put in a platform for loading passengers on the Vista to give them a safe place to stand.

“What we’re looking to do is put the repairs in now. Stabilize the seawalls behind the DECC, re-coat them so they’ll be good for another 50–75 years,” said Montgomery. “So it’s a long–term fix. It’s core infrastructure. iI’s critical infrastructure for our port and for the facilities that surround the port.”

The plan is to begin work on the Minnesota Slip in about 60 days.

Those repairs will continue through the spring since work on the seawall can be done year round.

The city is also still holding out hope to get around $7 million from the state for the other portion of the seawall by the DECC. But that project wasn’t on the governor’s most recent bonding bill.

The total cost of the project will be between $10- $12 million.