VernonReporter

Lansing bridge closed until it can be inspected after detected movement

Photos from the Iowa and Wisconsin Department of Transportation

LANSING, IA. – An emergency alert put out by the Iowa and Wisconsin DOT said they decided to close the bridge crossing the Mississippi River at Lansing on Sunday afternoon “after discovering some slight movement” and a “structural issue”. The alert did not give anymore detail but said the bridge would undergo a closer inspection on Monday.

The bridge is over 90 years old and the Iowa and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation are in the process of replacing the old bridge with a new bridge right next to it. The new bridge will be designed to mimic the look of the old one. It will have wider lanes and eight foot wide shoulders that will greatly increase safety. They say the new bridge will have a smooth, concrete deck that will protect the structure from winter maintenance treatments, and that the navigation channel will be increased in order to make it easier for barges to get through the area.

According to the Iowa and Wisconsin DOT the more than 1,700-foot Mississippi River Bridge connecting Iowa Highway 9 in Lansing, Iowa to Wisconsin Highway 82 in rural Crawford County, Wisconsin stands as an icon for the region. You may have heard of this impressive cantilever bridge referred to as the Black Hawk Bridge. The structure has served the area since 1931 with a closure from 1945 to 1957 when it was damaged by ice dams. The DOT goes on to say depreciation over time and changing vehicle size and traffic patterns now call for a new, wider, safer crossing.

Construction began last fall and the pilings for the new bridge are being installed right now. The bulk of the construction work for the new bridge will take place alongside the old bridge from 2024 through 2026. The old bridge will remain in use during this time. The new bridge is expected to be fully functional in 2027 at which point the old bridge will be removed.

The DOT says federal funding will cover approximately 80% of the $140 million cost of the bridge, with the rest split between Iowa and Wisconsin.  The current bridge will remain in use until the new bridge is built.  

For more information about the construction project, to sign up for construction alerts or to see a livestream of the bridge you can go to the Iowa and Wisconsin DOT website. Or follow the project on the Facebook page.

A rendering of what the new Lansing Bridge will look
A rendering of what the new Lansing Bridge will look

Oh, hi there. 👋 We are so glad you found us.

If you like our content maybe you want to sign up for our daily email. It's free and you won't miss any stories. One email a day with two or three top stories. It's like having your own personal newspaper. And we won't overload your inbox. Promise.

We don’t spam!

Tim Hundt

Add comment

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Support Local Journalism – Make a Donation

Upcoming Events

Support Local Journalism – Make a Donation

Upcoming Events