Duluth stretches for a long way along the shore of Lake Superior, climbing steeply from the water to a ridge above town. I-35 ends here, running up from the Twin Cities along the St. Louis River and then along the lakeshore through downtown, where it passes through a series of short tunnels. US 53 climbs the hill as Miller Trunk Highway toward Hermantown and the Iron Range, and MN 61 continues northeast up the North Shore to Two Harbors. I-535 crosses the harbor on the Blatnik Bridge to Superior, and US 2 crosses farther upriver on the Bong Bridge.
Duluth's avenues run straight up the hillside, and many of them are famously steep. That makes every winter a test of traction, brakes and patience, and a car that quits on a hill is one of the most common requests here. The lakeshore route through downtown and the I-35 and US 53 interchange are the main slow spots, along with the Aerial Lift Bridge, which raises for ships and closes the only road onto Park Point while it's up.
Duluth International Airport sits on high ground northwest of town near Hermantown, alongside an Air National Guard base, and its lots are easy to work in. The city's buses climb the hill from downtown to the university, and plenty of people who live up the hill leave the car in the garage on the iciest days. Skyline Parkway follows the ridge with views over the harbor, but stretches of it close in winter, so it's a scenic drive rather than a working route.