Duluth’s West Superior Street closure changes access at Garfield and Piedmont
A West Superior Street construction closure that began July 27 remains active in Duluth as work continues at the Garfield Avenue/Piedmont Avenue intersection and along the surrounding corridor.
As of August 4, 2026, West Superior Street is closed between 18th Avenue West and West Michigan Street, except for local access to businesses from the west. West Michigan Street also remains closed at its intersection with West Superior Street, so the closure is not open to through traffic.
Detours around Garfield and Piedmont
The City of Duluth’s signed vehicle detour directs Piedmont Avenue traffic along West First Street between Fifth Avenue West and 21st Avenue West.
Traffic on Garfield Avenue is detoured along Railroad Street to Fifth Avenue West, where it connects with the existing signed detour. The Garfield Avenue/Piedmont Avenue intersection is closed as part of the reconstruction work.
The city says the intersection is expected to reopen in August. That is an expected target for the intersection only; it does not mean the full West Superior Street corridor will reopen at the same time.
Business and trail access
Businesses along the closed section remain reachable under the city’s west-side local-access arrangement. Customers traveling from downtown can still reach the M&H Gas Station from the east through West Michigan Street or from Glen Place Drive.
The Cross City Trail has reopened along West Michigan Street, and the current trail detour has been removed. Construction continues next to the trail, with users directed through the work zone on an accessible surface.
What the project includes
The broader West Superior Street Reconstruction project covers the corridor from Carlton Street to West Michigan Street. The city describes it as a complete reconstruction that includes the roadway and underground utilities, not just a surface repair.
A city bid addendum also calls for planned traffic-control signal work at the West Superior Street and Piedmont Avenue/Garfield Avenue intersection, including a new interconnected, coordinated, full-traffic-actuated signal system. Because the document is part of the bid and contract materials, it establishes planned work rather than proving that every construction element has been completed.
Work will continue beyond August
The city expects the project to be completed in three construction phases. The 2026 construction season is anticipated to end in November, while overall project completion is anticipated in 2028.
That schedule means commuters, business customers, pedestrians and trail users should continue checking Duluth’s current closure and detour information even if the Garfield/Piedmont intersection reopens later in August. The city says its project website provides updates, closure and detour maps, and other construction information.
For now, drivers should follow the signed routes around the closure, use the west-side access arrangement for local businesses, and reach the M&H Gas Station from downtown through West Michigan Street or Glen Place Drive.
Sources
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