City of Duluth Looks At Funding Options As Lakewalk Construction Continues

DULUTH, Minn.– Reconstruction work on Duluth’s Lakewalk will reach the finish line soon, after it was ripped up by several severe storms over the last few years.

The reconstruction features new designs like large rocks strategically placed along the shore to break up wave energy from Lake Superior, which will benefit both the Lakewalk path and businesses near it in Canal Park.

The roughly $20 million reconstruction project along the shores of Lake Superior is in its final stretch with phase three construction happening this summer.

Crews have been working on both sides of the final stretch between the Endion Station and the pier in Canal Park.

They’re raising the elevation of the Lakewalk and adding a concrete wall to protect the trails and businesses from storms. Last week, crews finished bringing in more than 10 tons of rocks from Two Harbors that will be placed by the walls along the shoreline.

Construction Project Supervisor Mike LeBeau says work on the third phase of the project costs $11 million. He adds that the updates will keep the trails in better shape for years to come.

“We learned from the damage from the storm what didn’t work,” said LeBeau. “So this is designed using modern marine coastal engineering knowledge that wasn’t available 30 years ago when this started.”

The project is mainly funded from a storm relief declaration from the federal government. But $4.5 million needs to come from the city of Duluth. To get the funds, the city is proposing a general obligation bond to borrow the money, instead of increasing taxes.

“With everything that’s been going on, we really wanted to take out a bond so that we’re not asking the city of Duluth taxpayers to put anymore into this project. And that’s why we have the proposal in front of the city council,” said Kate Van Daele, Public Information Officer for the City of Duluth.

General obligation bonds like the city is proposing are not used often in situations like this. It will need approval from the Duluth City Council. They will vote to approve the bond this Monday.

The city hopes to complete construction on phase three this fall and will finish the landscaping in the spring, depending on if conditions permit.