tr?id=&ev=PageView&noscript=

Biden Makes Superior a Centerpiece of His State of the Union Follow-Up Message

By Pat Kreitlow

March 2, 2022

Visits the Blatnik Bridge, a prime example of aging infrastructure likely to have repairs accelerated from a bipartisan deal reached with Congress.

President Joe Biden on Wednesday used an aging bridge spanning a corner of iced-over Lake Superior to promote billions of dollars that will flow to communities across the US in coming years to fix roads, bridges and other infrastructure, a day after highlighting the spending in his State of the Union address.

The John A. Blatnik Memorial Bridge, which connects Superior to Duluth, Minnesota, is too old to support large trucks, undermining its ability to serve as an economic lifeline in the region. The more than 60-year-old span will need significant repairs to its trusses as one of hundreds of bridges in Wisconsin rated as being in poor condition.

Biden’s motorcade stopped for a photo opportunity beneath the bridge, where the president shook hands with nearby workers in hardhats and neon vests before continuing on to deliver a speech at UW-Superior.

Biden noted that the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will bring more than $5 billion worth of projects and jobs to Wisconsin during the next five years, likely benefiting the Blatnik Bridge upgrades.

“You know when the Husky oil refinery exploded in Superior back in 2018, this bridge was the one that many of you took to get your families to safety,” Biden said. “And so you know it matters.”

Biden referenced replacing lead pipes, fixing roads, and expanding high-speed internet access as other elements of the infrastructure blueprint that will benefit Wisconsin.

“The days of having to pull your child up outside of McDonald’s to do their homework because there’s no internet in your home and no internet in your region end when we provide affordable, high-speed internet to every American; urban, rural, suburban, tribal,” the president said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Author

  • Pat Kreitlow

    The Founding Editor of UpNorthNews, Pat was a familiar presence on radio and TV stations in western Wisconsin before serving in the state Legislature. After a brief stint living in the Caribbean, Pat and wife returned to Chippewa Falls to be closer to their growing group of grandchildren. He now serves as UNN's chief political correspondent and host of UpNorthNews Radio, airing weekday mornings 6 a.m.-8 a.m on the Civic Media radio network and the UpNorthNews Facebook page.

CATEGORIES: Uncategorized

Support Our Cause

Thank you for taking the time to read our work. Before you go, we hope you'll consider supporting our values-driven journalism, which has always strived to make clear what's really at stake for Wisconsinites and our future.

Since day one, our goal here at UpNorthNews has always been to empower people across the state with fact-based news and information. We believe that when people are armed with knowledge about what's happening in their local, state, and federal governments—including who is working on their behalf and who is actively trying to block efforts aimed at improving the daily lives of Wisconsin families—they will be inspired to become civically engaged.

Pat Kreitlow
Pat Kreitlow, Founding Editor
Your support keeps us going
Help us continue delivering fact-based news to Wisconsinites
Related Stories
Share This
BLOCKED
BLOCKED