Twin Ports Interchange Project Close to Fully Opening

DULUTH, Minn. –After five years of detours and construction, the long-anticipated Twin Ports Interchange Project will be fully open before the end of the month, and the long time nickname is a thing of the past.

“The can of worms is officially no longer a thing, which is something to celebrate,” Duluth Mayor Roger Reinert said.

A ribbon-cutting was held Monday to celebrate the completion of the project, which includes I-35, the Hwy 53 bridges and I-535 ramps.

The project is set to be construction free by Friday, October 24.

“I think it’s important to understand what it means to invest in Minnesota, we have the fourth highest amount of road miles of any states in the country, California, Texas, Illinois and Minnesota. Size wise we’re about 19, which means we are far more invested per capita in our infrastructure, our roads, our bridges, our transit, than any other state,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said.

The new interchange improves safety, traffic flow and freight movement, supporting 80,000 vehicles daily, including 5,000 big rigs.

“This is safety, this is 21st Century technology that’s going to bring freight people to and from the Twin Ports. And it’s also going to be the investment that’s going to bring economy to the most inland port in the United States of America, the Duluth-Superior port,” Representative Pete Stauber (R-MN) said.

The half billion dollar project highlights the investment in local infrastructure and economic growth.

“We know road construction can be very inconvenient, impacts communities. We’re grateful to the businesses and the community members in Duluth and all who travel this region for your patience over the last several years as we work to improve the system and bring it now to the finish line,” Nancy Daubenberger, Minnesota Department of Transportation Comissioner said.

Besides updating the roadways for vehicles, the project produced construction jobs for local workers and brought in workers to Duluth.

“The project brought over one million hours of construction trades labor into the Duluth community, the Twin Ports community, the regions of Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin, a remarkable investment into our local workforce,” Mayor Reinert said.

With the completion of the interchange project, the focus turns to the Blatnik Bridge replacement, which looks to start in 2027.