Impressive Bridge in Duluth

The Aerial Lift Bridge is the pride of Duluth, MN. The 390 foot span is a vertical lift bridge. This uncommon bridge configuration originally had its beginning as an exceptionally uncommon transporter bridge. The bridge was built in the early 1900's, upgraded in 1930 to its present breathtaking design, and remains in operation today. Aerial Lift Bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

The highly noticeable bridge crosses the canal referred to as Park Point. The St. Louis River which acts as the dividing line between Minnesota and Wisconsin is located approximately seven miles southeast of the Aerial Lift Bridge. The bridge was built to allow residents to breach the manmade canal. Prior to the final bridge design being determined, residents utilized a ferry system to make their way across the canal. Unfortunately, the weather in this area of the upper Midwest rendered ferry travel impossible during the winter months.

The original draft of the bridge incorporated a bridge and a suspended gondola, a design attributed to the French, capable of transporting up to 350 people along with their carriages or wagons. The bridge capacity at that point was approximately 60 short tons which could also accommodate streetcars and automobiles. The journey across took about one minute. The gondola car usually made it across the small divide every five minutes during peak traffic periods. Heavy demands attributed to an increased population in the Duluth and Minnesota Point areas, as well as, an increase in the tourist industry resulted in the need to substantially upgrade the design of the bridge.

The present structural configuration incorporating the lifting platform was opened in 1930. The top span of the bridge can be raised to accommodate both pleasure crafts and commercial vessels cruising back and forth from the Lake Superior. It takes about 3 minutes for the bridge to be raised to its full summit. It's estimated that the span is raised and lowered up to 30 times daily, or 5,500 times annually, during the peak shipping period.

Site-seers are excited as they anticipate the raising of the span and the time-honored horn-blowing series that takes place each time the bridge is raised. Horn blasts of long-short-long-short signify the raising of the span, often accompanied by a friendly welcome signal of long-short-short. The bridge remains one of the most popular tourist attractions in Minnesota. Shipping schedules are printed in the Duluth Shipping News available at the Lake Superior Marine Museum located close to the bridge. The Museum also posts the arrival and departure times via monitors located on the premises. The Lake Superior Marine Museum is well worth visiting while in the vicinity of the Aerial Lift Bridge.

The Aerial Lift Bridge anchors Canal Park and the beginning of this portion of the Lake walk. The bridge is owned and operated by the City of Duluth. The Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center also offers visitors a unique opportunity to view replicas and artifacts from the Lake Superior and Great Lakes region.

Once visitors to the Aerial Lift Bridge have completed viewing the bridge operation and the surrounding waterfront activities, the City of Duluth offers a vast array of dining and shopping opportunities.