The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) held a public meeting for feedback on the 2026 Mesaba Ave. bridges project on Tuesday February 25th.

The project includes bridge repair work on the Michigan street bridge over Mesaba avenue, and the Mesaba avenue bridge over Superior Street.

The cost of the project is estimated at $2 million dollars.

“Mesaba Avenue is a very busy road and it gets its good use,” said Pipi Mayfield the Public Engagement and Communications Director at MnDOT. “We want to just make sure that we’re maintaining that, keeping it in well condition for years to come.”

Some residents at the meeting voiced concerns over the proposed closures will be required. One potential detour for pedestrians shared at the meeting would reroute them to a busy intersection.

“My commute is crossing Mesaba and I’m always having issues with vehicles creating conflicts for pedestrians,” said Christian Huelsman a Duluth resident. “There’s not an easy way to get between Lincoln Park and Observation Hill and I would just hope that a project like this would be well informed to create a model for how pedestrians and bicyclists get around safely.”

Back in December there was a fatal bicyclist vs vehicle crash at a busy crosswalk on Mesaba Avenue.

“I cross Mesaba both ways,” said Huelsman. “Sometimes I have to wait three, four, five minutes just across the street by first crossing to a pedestrian island and then again to a public stairway. It tells you who is prioritized at that intersection and I just wish it were inverted or that we could have some equal protections for all users.”

You can learn more about the 2026 Mesaba Ave. bridges project and any additional public meetings here.