How the Aerial Lift Bridge impacts the Twin Ports’ Shipping Industry

When was the last time you walked or driven across the Aerial Lift Bridge? There are signs posted warning pedestrians about how uneven the sidewalks have become. The city of Duluth is discussing potential ideas for maintaining the bridge during the height of the shipping season.

Jason Hron with the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, says the Twin Ports relies on the Lift Bridge for fast and efficient shipping.

“One key fact about the Aerial Lift Bridge, it lifts more than 4,000 times in an average shipping season. So it’s a highly used piece of infrastructure,” Hron said. “In addition to being absolutely critical for the efficient, safe movement of cargo throughout our port.”

There is the second shipping canal that ships can use on the Wisconsin side. Hron says it could take longer for moving cargo in and out of the Twin Ports, with fewer goods. He says this is due to how shallow the Wisconsin canal is.

“For most ships, using the Duluth Ship Canal is the most efficient way to enter and exit the port. They’re using less fuel, less time and having less emissions.” Hron said. “So all of those things are advantages for shipping. Advantages for our community that come specifically from having two entries and one of them being the Duluth Ship Canal. Of course, the Duluth Ship Canal is completely predicated on the Aerial Lift Bridge being operable.”

Hron says we’re still at the height of the shipping season, and the Aerial Lift Bridge is essential to the Twin Ports economy, and for people living on Park Point.

“As the Duluth Seaway Port Authority obviously our focus is port operations but there’s an entirely other aspect of it that’s also important in this community. The people who live on Park Point need that bridge to be able to move to and from each day. Also the utilities, I understand, are connected with that bridge and need that infrastructure to work properly as well. So there’s a greater component beyond just the shipping component as well.”