Lakewalk & Coastal Improvements
Project Overview:
The Lakewalk is a critical transportation route connecting neighborhoods, downtown Duluth, the Canal Park business district and the Lake Superior waterfront. The Lakewalk has experienced damage from past storm events and will experience future damage unless the City acts to ensure its long-term resiliency by mitigating the impacts of future storm events.
The Lakewalk & Coastal Improvements project (state project #118-090-029) spans Endion Station at the corner of the Lake to roughly 27th Avenue East and will include shoreline restoration and enhancements, trail relocation and reconstruction, ADA accessibility improvements, including a bypass trail adjacent to Leif Erikson Park, improved wayfinding and connections between downtown and the Lakewalk, and implementation of pause area updates and interpretive elements.
Planning for this project was completed in December 2021. The project has been designed, reviewed and approved by state and federal agencies, and then bid in July 2026.
Please direct project inquiries to Allison Brooks, Project Coordinator, at abrooks@duluthmn.gov or use the comment form at the bottom of this page.
Project Update:
Staff provided a presentation to the Parks and Recreation Commission on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. A copy of the presentation is provided in the Important Documents section below.
The heavy use of this portion of the Lakewalk will certainly make this project and associated detours more complex with disruptions to multimodal commuters, visitors, and residents that use and enjoy this stretch of the Lakewalk. The short-term disruption will result in a much-improved Lakewalk.
Funding Source:
The City of Duluth was awarded an $8.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) and a matching grant of $2.05 million from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Technical Assistance Program for this project. Additional project support includes $2 million from city resources.
Grant Details: MnDOT Agreement No. 1059903, USDOT RAISE Grant and MnDOT IIJA Match Program Grant for the Lakewalk and Coastal Improvements Project
Agency Leadership: Cari Pedersen, Director of Public Works and Utilities, cpedersen@duluthmn.gov
Grant Manager: Duncan Schwensohn, Provisional Chief Engineer of Transportation, dschwensohn@duluthmn.gov
Contractor: Rachel Contracting, LLC
Timeline:
July 2026: Bidding and contractor selection
August 18, 2026: Work begins on the new bypass trail at Leif Erikson Park. Lakewalk closure between Leif Erikson Park and Water Street. A detour will be posted. The detour route westward is via S. 23rd Avenue East to London Road to the Rose Garden to Leif Erikson Park. Detour map (click image to view larger in new window):
September 3, 2026: Community informational presentation about the project to be held at 2:00 pm via Microsoft Teams. Link for meeting attendance to be added here when available.
September 2026: Work begins at Endion Station and at approximately 27th Avenue East (northeast of the London Road underpass).
End of October 2026: Construction pauses over winter and Lakewalk open for use.
April-May 2027: Construction starts for 2027 season.
December 2027: Substantial completion of project.
Project Partners:
MN Department of Transportation
LHB, Inc.
Rachel Contracting, LLC
