Aerial Lift Bridge

[[File:Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge-aerial, August 2024.jpg|thumb|Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge in 2024]]

[[File:Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge-aerial, August 2024.jpg|thumb|Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge in 2024]]

== Bridge history ==

== History ==

The bridge spans the [[Duluth Ship Canal]], which was put through the miles-long [[Spit (landform)|sand spit]] named [[Minnesota Point]] – commonly called Park Point by locals – in 1870–1871. The natural mouth of the [[Saint Louis River (Lake Superior tributary)|Saint Louis River]] is about {{convert|7|mi|km|spell=in}} farther southeast, and is split between [[Minnesota]] and [[Wisconsin]]. Creating this gap in the sand spit meant that residents who lived on the new island needed to have a way to get across. Several transportation methods were tried, though they were complicated by the weather. [[Ferry|Ferries]] could work in the summer, but ice caused problems in colder months. A swinging footbridge was used, but was considered rather rickety and unsafe.

The bridge spans the [[Duluth Ship Canal]], which was put through the miles-long [[Spit (landform)|sand spit]] named [[Minnesota Point]] – commonly called Park Point by locals – in 1870–1871. The natural mouth of the [[Saint Louis River (Lake Superior tributary)|Saint Louis River]] is about {{convert|7|mi|km|spell=in}} farther southeast, and is split between [[Minnesota]] and [[Wisconsin]]. Creating this gap in the sand spit meant that residents who lived on the new island needed to have a way to get across. Several transportation methods were tried, though they were complicated by the weather. [[Ferry|Ferries]] could work in the summer, but ice caused problems in colder months. A swinging footbridge was used, but was considered rather rickety and unsafe.