Departments of Transportation schedule Black Hawk Bridge demolition for December 18
The Iowa and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation (DOT) will take the next step in the Mississippi River bridge project at Lansing with a planned implosion and removal of the main section of the existing Black Hawk Bridge Thursday, December 18. The demolition was deemed necessary to allow construction of the new crossing to proceed safely after engineers detected movement in the Black Hawk Bridge structure beyond safety allowances while completing work on the adjacent new bridge. The new bridge has a planned opening date in 2027.
The demolition of the main span will feature an implosion of the structure planned for approximately 9:30 a.m. that December 18 morning, followed by removal of the debris from the Mississippi River. The existing bridge has been closed to traffic since October 20 of this year. While details are not final as of this latest update, DOT officials say the following impacts are likely in order to allow for the safest implosion and removal of the Black Hawk Bridge:
• A clear zone will be marked and enforced by the project contractor to protect anyone from implosion debris, and the contractor will directly contact all impacted property owners to mitigate any impacts from the implosion.
• The car ferry service currently being utilized will be suspended during the planned implosion and clean-up dates, with the last ferry service offered the evening of Wednesday, December 17, and service expected to resume the morning of Sunday, December 21, unless crews complete the debris clean-up process earlier than anticipated.
• Iowa Highway 26 will be closed for a short period the morning of December 18, as portions of the road closer to Lansing are located inside the clear zone.
• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will have already closed the Mississippi River to commercial traffic prior to the implosion. The river will also be closed to recreational boat traffic inside of the clear zone.
Iowa DOT District Engineer Clayton Burke, who is the project manager for the Mississippi River bridge project, said the clear zone will lie between the Lansing Marina to the north and near Shep’s Riverside Bar & Grill to the south. He also noted that plans are in the works for a designated public observation location at the Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center a bit further down the river.
Since there is strong public interest in the bridge, Iowa DOT and Wisconsin DOT officials are working closely with the project contractor, local officials, law enforcement, and other government agencies to plan for safety, traffic, and other mitigation efforts before, during, and after the implosion. Additional details about the clear zone and safety procedures for community members will be released Monday, December 15. The public is asked to watch for these procedures and to follow any law enforcement or official direction the day of the implosion.
The demolition could be delayed due to weather or other considerations. Iowa DOT and Wisconsin DOT will issue any updates about delays as needed.
For more information on the construction of the new Mississippi River Bridge as well as updates on the existing bridge status, go to iowadot.gov/lansingbridge. Individuals may also sign up to receive email updates and view the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/LansingBridge/. Information on the ferry is available at https://iowadot.gov/lansingcarferry.
The latest traveler information is available anytime through the DOT 511 system. Visit 511ia.org; call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide); stay connected with 511 on Facebook or X (find links at https://iowadot.gov/travel-tools/iowa-511/511-social-media-sites); or download the free app to a mobile device.
