City: Slip Bridge Mechanical Failure is not Major

DULUTH, Minn. – City officials confirm that the newly renovated MN Slip Bridge malfunctioned on Monday, but that the malfunction was nothing more than a mechanical mishap.

Officials say the bridge was unable to lift for a few hours on Monday for boat traffic, but the bridge was still accessible for pedestrians.

Dave Campbell, the Aerial Lift Bridge supervisor who oversees the Slip Bridge, believes lightning Sunday night may have caused a problem with one of the electrical drives that helps run the bridge.

The bridge recently underwent a multi-million dollar overhaul, but Campbell says those drives were not part of the rebuild and has been part of the bridge’s operations for six years.

Campbell says the drive was quickly replaced and states that the Slip Bridge has already made 1,000 lifts so far this year with no interruptions to pedestrian or marine traffic.