Dec. 18, 2025
LANSING, Iowa — The Black Hawk Bridge, a steel truss structure that spanned the Mississippi River for nearly a century, was destroyed in a controlled implosion on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025.
The demolition marks the physical end of a crossing that had become structurally unstable earlier this year, forcing state officials to close it months ahead of schedule. While a replacement bridge is currently under construction alongside the site, it is not expected to open until the spring of 2027.
The Implosion
Following a short delay that pushed the operation back by one day, crews successfully brought down the bridge Friday morning. To ensure public safety during the blast, officials closed Wisconsin Highway 26 for approximately 30 minutes and halted train traffic through Lansing for four hours. The demolition zone was also closed to recreational boat traffic.
The method of destruction, foreshadowed in earlier Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) plans, involved using explosives to drop the main span into the river, allowing contractors to quickly remove the steel and concrete from the shipping channel.
Structural Instability Force Early Closure
While the bridge was originally scheduled for replacement due to its narrow geometry and obsolete design, its final months were plagued by structural failures caused by the construction of its successor,.
The Iowa and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation permanently closed the bridge to traffic on Oct. 20, 2025, roughly two months before the demolition. Officials made the decision after determining that driving piles for the new bridge’s foundation was causing the old bridge’s piers to shift.
Sensors on the bridge detected movement exceeding safety thresholds multiple times throughout 2024 and 2025,. In May 2025, the bridge was temporarily closed after a pier shifted, and similar issues in February 2024 led to emergency repairs. By July 2025, engineers determined that the old bridge could not safely withstand the construction activity required to finish the new span, necessitating the October closure.
“These approvals will allow us to install the infrastructure needed for a car ferry to keep our communities connected when the old bridge needs to be closed,” Iowa DOT Director Scott Marler said regarding the decision to expedite the closure.
Interim Travel and Replacement Timeline
The destruction of the Black Hawk Bridge leaves the region without a direct road crossing between Lansing, Iowa, and Crawford County, Wisconsin, for approximately two years.
To mitigate the disruption, the Iowa and Wisconsin DOTs launched a free car ferry service on Nov. 3, 2025. The 12-vehicle ferry operates seven days a week, making continuous trips between the Lansing Marina and a landing on the Wisconsin side. The service accommodates passengers, cyclists, and two-axle vehicles but cannot transport large trucks or trailers, which must detour 30 miles south to the crossing at Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.
Construction on the new $140 million replacement bridge is ongoing. The new structure is designed to mimic the aesthetic of the original cantilever truss but will feature wider lanes, shoulders, and a smooth concrete deck to improve safety and traffic flow,.
The City of Lansing plans to preserve pieces of the historic 1931 bridge, including steel beams and plaques, for display in a city park.
Add comment