About this project
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Repave Hwy 23 from Perch Lake to W 5th St in Duluth.
Summary of work
- Pavement resurfacing
- Guardrail replacement
Perch Lake project
The Perch Lake project is not a MnDOT project but will impact many of the same people as our road construction project. Dredging for the Perch Lake project is happening this summer, and culvert replacement will be in summer/fall of 2023. The MnDOT project will take place spring/summer 2023. Below is more information about the DNR-led project.
Minnesota DNR and the Minnesota Land Trust are working together to restore fish and wildlife habitat at Perch Lake. This work is part of a greater effort to mitigate historic impacts to habitat in the St. Louis River under the Great Lakes Area of Concern Program. Perch Lake was once a bay of the St. Louis River estuary. The construction of the railroad and U.S. Hwy 23 embankments nearly eliminated this connection. Now, only a shallow 4-ft wide culvert provides connection, drastically reducing water circulation, sediment transport and fish access. As a result, Perch Lake has low oxygen levels, shallow depths, and limited access for fish and wildlife. To address these impairments, the project’s goals include:
- Remove accumulated sediment
- Increase circulation between the estuary and Perch Lake
- Improve fish and wildlife passage
- Restore and enhance coastal marsh wetland habitat