#AERIAL LIFT BRIDGE FULL#

Then what we do is tell them to call us again when they are about 1 ½ mile away. The boat operators will make the security calls, when they are about an hour away, to the port general as well as us to let us know they are coming. Let’s take a boat that is coming in from the lake. The original outer structure of the 1905 bridge is still there, but to support the weight, they built an additional structure inside of it.Ī bridge inside another bridge? I do not know about you, but that detail was a surprise to us!Ĭan you give us an overview of the process behind the aerial lift bridge lifting?ĭavid began explaining the process by stating: What they did during the remodel was re-lift the upper span of the bridge to allow room for the lifting parts to go up high enough, so technically there is a bridge inside of a bridge. David explained more in-depth about the transformation of the bridge from what it was to what it is now: One year later, in 1930, they reopened the bridge to traffic.

Then in 1929, they decided to remodel and started building the bridge that you see there today. Little did we know that the original bridge was a gondola, transporter type bridge built in the year 1905.

#AERIAL LIFT BRIDGE FULL#

To get the full idea of the history of the bridge, how it operates, and what his job entails, we asked him a variety of questions to learn more!Ĭan you give us an overview of the Aerial Lift Bridge, its history, and design?ĭavid had a lot of fascinating information to tell us about the bridge’s history and design. He has now been working there for eight years and has never looked back. So, he took a chance and applied to be an operator at the Aerial Lift Bridge. After some period, David decided it was time for a change of pace. Paul, moved to Duluth around 15 years ago, and worked at the paper mill in Cloquet for 18 years. We were fortunate enough to interview David Campbell, the supervisor of the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge. So, to find out more about the Aerial Lift Bridge, its operations, and its operators, we interviewed one of the few individuals who operate it for a living.

However, very few know what it takes to keep this bridge running smoothly 24/7 or who even operates it. Overall, the Aerial Lift Bridge is important to many people. All types of boats, from sailboats to foreign ships to gas boats, rely on this access point, as well as the bridge, to be able to execute their schedules of planned drop-offs and pickups of trade goods. In 2019, 9,581 boats came in and out of the harbor, utilizing the Aerial Lift Bridge as an access point. Thousands of tourists and Duluthians pass by this bridge each year in awe of its operations and beauty. The iconic Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge in Canal Park is one of the most memorable attractions Duluth has to offer. The Team That Operates the Aerial Lift Bridge

Aerial lift bridge