July 14, 2025
Iowa and Wisconsin DOT officials announced today they are moving up the scheduled demolition of the old Black Hawk Bridge across the Mississippi River due to safety concerns. The announcement is a major change that means there will be no transportation crossing at that point on the river for over a year, since the new bridge will not be completed until 2027. The closure is a major disruption for businesses, tourism and commuters that have been dealing with the on again, off again closure of the bridge, forcing motorists to either drive south to Prairie du Chien to cross the river, or north to La Crosse.
The announcement today states:
After extensive engineering analysis and talks between Iowa and Wisconsin DOTs and the contractor, we’ve determined that future construction stages on the new bridge could pose a safety risk to the existing bridge. So, this fall (2025) crews will close and demolish it so we can safely continue our work and meet the deadline for the 2027 opening of the new bridge.
The safety of all of you, the construction workers, rail traffic, and Mississippi River traffic is our #1 concern. Our teams are working on alternative river crossings to help everyone make this transition.
DOT officials have been struggling to keep the old bridge open since construction on the new bridge began. Engineers believe the work to build supports for that new bridge may have caused instability in the supports for the old bridge, and caused movement that prompted the closures. The first closure occurred in early 2024 due to observed displacement, and the bridge was then re-opened following limited stabilizing work. The second closure happened in May 2025 due to sensor-detected movement, and the bridge was reopened following a detailed inspection and engineering analysis.
More information on the Iowa DOT website.
Mississippi River Bridge and Lansing Facebook page.
A “Water Taxi” service was started with the first closure last fall, stopped and then restarted with another closure earlier this year. But that service is not for cars and the latest closure has some residents and businesses asking for full car ferry service since the new link between the two states will be for and extended period of time.
The statement fro the two states today did say the “project team” is investigating opportunities for alternative river crossings to support businesses, institutions, and individuals in Iowa and Wisconsin. The statement went on to say that may include restoration of the water taxi service offered during previous closures or other options, and both states will maintain viable roadway detours.
The announcement said the exact closure date later in the year will be announced at a later time.
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