DULUTH — The third-oldest air traffic control tower in the nation took a significant stride toward likely retirement Monday, when the federal government announced it will provide $20.25 million in funding to replace this key piece of infrastructure at Duluth International Airport.

The current air tower is more than 70 years old, and efforts to replace it with a modern, better-positioned structure have been in the works since the completion of a 2019 master plan for the airport, according to Natalie Baker, Duluth International’s director of communications and marketing.

She said the grant positions the project to probably break ground in 2026, with an estimated completion date in 2028.

But Duluth still has a funding gap to fill. All told, the tower replacement is expected to cost about $

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