Transportation
Sky Harbor Airport open after runway relocation
Sky Harbor Airport in Duluth reopened on June 12 following a third phase of construction. The runway was relocated from its previous position in order to protect an old-growth forest of red and white pine trees, which were growing into the approach and departure surfaces.
Video by Short Elliott Hendrickson.
Duluth You & Me: Port Town Trolley
Use the link below for a printable PDF for your drawing and coloring pleasure.
Duluth You & Me: Port Town Trolley
Follow the Duluth You & Me subject tag to see additional pages. For background on the book see the original post on the topic.
Duluth Urban Design Project: Highway 61 Revisited
What better time could there be for sharing grand expensive visions than during a pandemic, when Duluth and virtually all municipalities are under tremendous financial duress?
Hey, ideas are just ideas, right?
A group of designers and unofficial community planners known as the Duluth Waterfront Collective has been working on a “what-if?” project called Highway 61 Revisited. The basic task is to redesign the I-35 corridor where it splits Downtown Duluth and the Canal Park Business District. (more…)
MnDOT scales back Can of Worms project
The Minnesota Department of Transportation plans to announce two dramatic reductions to the $343-million Twin Ports Interchange project on Monday. The changes will directly affect the Lincoln Park business district, shown here in 2018. (Photo by Liftoff Aerials)
State officials will announce dramatic reductions in a major state highway project that was intended to improve driver safety, traffic flow and heavy load shipments through the heart of Duluth.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation will defer two critical pieces of its $343-million Twin Ports Interchange project due to increasing construction costs, officials told a Lincoln Park business group Thursday. A formal announcement and two public meetings are planned for Nov. 25. (more…)
PDD Video Lab: A Whole New Can of Worms
In a world where Duluth’s “Can of Worms” area is untangled and all the city’s hillside vegetation dies, comes a new video from the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
When the PDD A/V squad saw MnDOT’s silent “Drive Through Animation,” the need to add music was overwhelming. The soundtrack above is a clip from Anthony Bennett’s song “Can of Worms” from the 2012 album Hello Cruel World. Tony is also PDD’s calendar editor, though he wasn’t in the lab when we picked his music. (more…)
DLH passenger numbers up 13 percent
Duluth International Airport announced today that 280,865 passengers flew through the facility in 2018, marking a 13 percent increase over 2017.
Both United and Delta saw increases, with United’s addition of the airbus flight in May leading to a nearly 30 percent increase year-over-year.
United offers three daily nonstop flights to Chicago and Delta offers five daily nonstop flights to Minneapolis/St. Paul. American Airlines is set to begin direct service to Chicago on May 23.
“We now have the three largest carriers in the country flying out of DLH,” Tom Werner, the airport’s executive director, said in a news release. “We’re hoping to use that momentum to add Denver to the growing list of places we fly and ways we connect our region to the world.”
The Hopper Shuttle: Catering to Craft Beverage Fans
A new complimentary shuttle service will provide a link between Duluth’s craft beverage purveyors. Starting Feb. 8 the Hopper, a 15-passenger van, will run between Canal Park, Lincoln Park and Downtown every Friday and Saturday night. (more…)
Twin Ports Interchange Reconstruction EAW
The Minnesota Department of Transportation has prepared an Environmental Assessment Worksheet for the Twin Ports Interchange Reconstruction project and is seeking public input. The project proposes reconstructing the I-35/I-535/US 53 interchange, US 53 between I-35 and West Third Street, and I-535/Garfield Avenue interchange located in Duluth. (more…)
Lost Duluth Trolley in Minneapolis
This former Duluth trolley makes frequent trips back and forth between Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis. Trolleys are restored and operated by the Minnesota Transportation Museum. (more…)
Duluth-Superior Transit Company’s “Rider’s Digest”
Seventy years ago today.
Port Town Trolley drops 50-cent fee; free service starts Aug. 4
Effective Friday the Duluth Transit Authority will discontinue the collection of all passenger fares on the Port Town Trolley service. The free rides are being offered to encourage use of the trolley service to and from Canal Park, particularly for those parking at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center and downtown parking ramps. (more…)
Three Downtown Duluth avenues will switch to two-way traffic
Three avenues in Downtown Duluth will convert from one-way to two-way traffic as part of the city’s plans to improve transit and access to businesses. The changes will be made to First, Second and Third avenues west from Superior Street to Fourth Street and intersections between Lake Avenue and Fourth Avenue West. (more…)
Duluth Street Railway Trolley Barns
Duluth Street Railway trolley barns on the upper side of Superior Street between 26th and 27th avenues west. Photo dated May 10, 1927.
Uber, Lyft approved for pickups at Duluth International Airport
The Duluth Airport Authority announced agreements with Uber and Lyft today, permitting drivers for the companies to accept requests for rides at the Duluth International Airport. The agreement was approved at the authority board meeting on April 18. Transportation network companies, or “ridesharing” businesses, were approved for operating in Duluth beginning April 27 under regulations outlined in a Duluth City Council ordinance. Lyft launched service that day, Uber followed on May 1.
As of this week, both Uber and Lyft signed and returned their operating agreements to the airport authority. Under the agreements, drivers are authorized to operate at DLH for passenger pick-ups for pre-arranged fares. Passengers can access Uber or Lyft services by opening the ride-sharing app on their phone and choosing a car. The staging lot for the vehicles will be located in the West parking lot adjacent to the arrival end of the passenger terminal. Wayfinding signage is expected to be in place by the end of this month to help direct passengers to the different commercial vehicle options at DLH. All passenger drop-offs will occur curbside in front of the terminal building.
Duluth Rideshare Board?
Would Perfect Duluth Day be interested in hosting a rideshare board for trips that go beyond the bounds of Duluth (like to the Twin Cities and back, etc.)? It would sure be helpful for one-car or no-car families that have to travel regularly. The UMD Ride Share board is great and shows the concept works, but I’m not a university student and it feels kinda weird showing up for a ride as a middle-aged person when the driver expects a student. And then there’s the summer.
Scooters in Duluth
I’m considering a 49cc scooter for getting around town, primarily from Lakeside up to work at UMD, during the non-snow months. I’m wondering if one that small can haul me, or my husband, up the hill. I’ve Googled to not a ton of help. Has anyone over, say, 200 lbs. used one? I won’t require you to divulge your actual weight.
Duluth passes rideshare ordinance; opens city to Uber, Lyft
Duluth City Councilors adopted an ordinance Monday establishing regulations for transportation network companies like Uber and Lyft to operate within in the city.
The measure passed 7-1, with Fifth District Councilor Jay Fosle casting the dissenting vote. The ordinance goes into effect April 27.
The video above is the full 35-minute discussion of the issue. It opens with four citizens speaking in opposition to the ordinance. Comments by city councilors begin at the 9:40 mark.
Duluth City Council ready for first look at “Uber Ordinance”
It’s been eight months since Duluth City Councilor Noah Hobbs had his first formal meeting with City Attorney Nate LaCoursiere to begin crafting an ordinance to regulate ridesharing businesses like Uber and Lyft.
Both companies have expressed interest in operating in Duluth, and now Hobbs’ ordinance is on the city council’s March 13 agenda for a first reading. The soonest the ordinance could pass is March 27; it would then go into effect 30 days later. (more…)
Bike Parking in Downtown Duluth
On Saturday’s march through the Skywalk my husband noticed the bike parking signs near the new DTA Transit Center. I went down there yesterday to get the 411.
“Bike parking is sold on a monthly basis. The cost per month or any part thereof is $10. There is also a required deposit of $5 for the FOB needed for entry into the secure bicycle parking area. This deposit is returned when the FOB is returned to the DTA. Payments are due by the 25th of the month for the next month’s rental.” (more…)
Why can’t 21st Avenue East, Woodland and Arrowhead be a highway like Piedmont?
There was a study I cannot find now where some bigwigs came to Duluth back in about 2006 and decided that access to the mall area from the east side of town is one of the largest problems we have here. Every single road has many traffic lights and the speed limits are all 30 mph. Even Howard Gnesen rolls along at 30 mph in the middle of nowhere. The stretch from Kenwood Avenue on Arrowhead Road to Rice Lake Road is just a basic speed trap before it finally opens up to a whole 45 mph.
Why not make from the freeway exit at 21st Avenue East, Woodland Avenue and Arrowhead Road more like what was done on the west side of town near 21st Avenue West?
I know many people live on the stretch, but we have two major colleges and the city keeps “calming traffic” everywhere it can. That was the actual term that I heard at meeting when they decided — against the wishes of everyone in attendance — to make London Road go from four lanes of traffic to two. Then they said the city would plant all kinds of trees and beautify the area. Still waiting on that one.
DTA Woodland Windjammer, Crosley Clipper, et. al.
The quest is to settle a bet. Whether there’s enough evidence so far to settle it will have to be up to the wagerers.
Former Duluthian Daniel Heinan, now living in Los Angeles, sent the following email:
My friends don’t believe that there was a DTA bus line called the Woodland Wind Jammer. There was even the Crosley Clipper. They existed in the 1980s and early 1990s. Can you help me prove them wrong?
Mystery Photo: New Duluth Bus and Drivers
This photo popped up on Pinterest a while back. It’s dated 1962. Photographer unknown.
Duluth’s first diesel buses began operating in 1957 under the auspices of the Duluth-Superior Transit Company. The Duluth Transit Authority was created in 1969, so one could say the bus in the photo above is a DTA before there was a DTA.
Can anyone name any of the drivers?
Mystery Photo: Old 708
A train rolls through western Duluth. Year unknown. Photographer unknown. The number on the train is 708. Anyone have insight?
Moving sidewalk proposed in Duluth in 1908
John Edward Roemer wanted to build a system of moving sidewalks up Duluth’s steepest hills. The power to run the system would come from storage batteries buried in chambers beneath Superior Street. Tunnels would be dug beneath cross streets so the sidewalks could pass under the streets. At the top of the hill where the moving sidewalk system terminated, Roemer proposed building a pavilion and an aerial rail line extending to Fond du Lac, with stops in the West End, West Duluth, New Duluth and Ironton.
Read more at the public library’s Reference@Duluth blog.