Plenty of Work Still to be Done as Twin Ports Interchange Project Begins to Take Shape

DULUTH, Minn — It has been two years since road closures and detours began as part of replacing the Can of Worms.  For the first year it was difficult to see the progress being made, but now we have reached a point where we can see the project starting to come together. The construction manager tells us that what we see is akin to the framing on a house.  The shape and outline are there, but there is still a lot of work to do.

“We got two bridges that are in various stages of completion for, getting ready to pour decks in the month of May and early June.  Once we get those done, as far as the earth work that happens over on the other side of the freeway, it will be kind of the major work this summer in addition to finishing the south bound lanes just south of Garfield,” said MNDOT construction manager Pete Marthaler.

Pouring concrete for the overpasses is now underway and is expected to continue through June 9. MNDOT says it will be doing most of this work at night to minimize interruptions to traffic.  Any lane closures or shifts on I-35 that occur during this time will be short term.  The goal is to maintain two lanes of traffic in each direction as much as possible.   If construction stays on schedule for other areas of the project, they will be ready for the pavers to return later this summer.

“They’ll come back again in August, do the portion up there by Garfield.  Then hopefully by November, all things, you know, things stay on schedule like they are now, people should be able to drive on those new lanes in November as well as head over to Superior via the new routes,” said Marthaler.

Traffic will continue as is at the Garfield interchange until November when that portion of the project is wrapping up.  Construction for bridges going up the hill will continue into 2024.  When the project is completed, the new interchange will be safer and more intuitive for drivers.  Aging infrastructure will also no longer be a concern and the interchange will last for many years.

“We want this to be here for another 70 years,” said Marthaler.