I-35, I-535, Hwy 53 Twin Ports Interchange

About this project

Once completed, this project will enhance safety by eliminating blind merges and left exits, replace aging infrastructure, and better accommodate freight movements through the interchanges next to the Clure Public Terminal.

Due to higher costs than estimated, Component 2 (Highway 53 bridges) and Component 3 (Garfield Avenue/I-535 interchange) are deferred until funding is secured.

Summary of work

Reconstruct I-35/I-535/Hwy 53 interchange to improve safety by:

• Providing a new conventional design
• Relocating all exits and entrances to the right side of the roadway
• Improving merging sight distance and eliminating merge conflicts
• Eliminating weaving problems near the interchange
• Providing lane continuity for through I-35 traffic

Animation video

See what the freeway will look like when completed from a motorist’s view heading north on I-35 through the Twin Ports Interchange area, then heading to southbound I-35 from I-535, or the Blatnik Bridge, through the Twin Ports Interchange area.

What’s that mound between the interstate?

We get that question a lot. Some people ask if it’s hay bales. What it is actually is our testing site.

With the Twin Ports Interchange project, MnDOT will remove all low level bridges on I-35 and replace them on an earth fill inside of retaining walls. This is being done because dirt fills are less maintenance and less cost than bridges. What you see is a test "ground improvement" section, and the pipes are instrumentation for monitoring settlement and lateral displacement.

Click on our “Images” tab to view more photos and read more about the process.

News releases

• MnDOT to defer portions of Twin Ports Interchange project (Nov. 25, 2019)
• Railroad Street to close from Garfield Avenue to Fifth Avenue West in Duluth (Sept. 30, 2019)

Project update meetings

• Learn more about the public meetings for this project, including the time, date and place of the next meeting.

Freight connection

This project will provide direct access for overweight permitted loads.

Interchange traffic count:

• Average annual daily traffic – 80,000
• Heavy commercial average annual daily traffic – 5,320

Provides first- and last-mile connection to the Clure Public Terminal, an intermodal facility with highway, rail and waterway freight connections

Traffic impacts

Spring 2020

The Cross City Trail along Lower Michigan Street will close and be detoured from Spring 2020 to 2023. The city of Duluth is working on detour options.

• See maps showing the traffic staging.

Summer and early-fall 2020

• I-35 will be reduced to a single lane in each direction between 27th Avenue West and Garfield Avenue.
• The 27th Avenue West Bridge will be replaced, ramps will remain open, but the bridge will not be open to cross traffic. 
• The ramps from southbound Hwy 53 to southbound I-35, northbound I-535 to southbound I-35 and northbound I-35 to northbound Hwy 53 will be closed.  
• Lower Michigan Street will be closed.

Late-fall 2020 (Traffic will remain in this configuration until fall 2021)

• Southbound I-35 traffic will be moved to Lower Michigan Street in two lanes between Garfield Avenue and 22nd Avenue West and northbound I-35 will be diverted to the existing southbound lanes of I-35.
• Two lanes of traffic in each direction will be maintained.
• In addition to the ramps listed above, the ramps from I-35 to I-535 in both directions and the ramp from southbound I-35 to northbound Hwy 53 will close.
  

Late-fall 2021

• Both northbound and southbound I-35 traffic will be shifted to the new northbound I-35 lanes and two lanes in each direction will be maintained.
• The ramps to I-535 will re-open.
• Hwy 53 and ramps will close.  

Fall 2022

• All roadways and ramps will open on the final roadway.

Early-summer 2023

• There will be lane closures for finishing work on I-35.

Detour routes during construction

• All closed ramps will have official detour routes posted.
• The major detours will be Hwy 53 detoured to Hwy 194 (Central Entrance and Mesaba Avenue).
• The I-535 ramps will be detoured to Hwy 2 (Bong Bridge).
• The I-535 Blatnik Bridge will be accessible via Garfield Avenue during this time.