FALLEN... BUT NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN!

Freezing temperatures delay final connections a bit but implosion of Black Hawk Bridge goes as planned

The physical and iconic connection between Iowa and Wisconsin that had spanned the Mississippi River at Lansing for the last 94 years was dropped into those very same waters in a matter of seconds Friday morning, December 19, as the demolition of the Black Hawk Bridge that was deemed necessary to safely complete construction of its replacement took place on a bright, sunny day that was contrary in appearance to what most who watched were feeling internally as they watched the historic structure first be surrounded by black plumes of smoke before descending into the river below, as depicted in the photos surrounding this article.

That bright and sunny appearance of the day was also contrary to what the weather actually felt like outside, as the demolition task was completed in single-digit temperatures that actually played a role in a nearly two-hour delay in the demolition day schedule.

Having already been delayed a day due to scheduling logistics with all stakeholders involved in the demolition process and its impact, the final wiring connections of the explosives involved in the project that had to be completed manually (as evident in the second photo where the barge structure near the bridge has a telescoping arm reaching out toward the bridge) were impacted by the freezing weather conditions.

“It took a little longer than anticipated to get the final connections set up, it took a lot of fine motor skills with hands and fingers, and in the freezing cold it took longer to connect all the wires,” explained Iowa Department of Transportation District Engineer Clayton Burke, project manager for the bridge replacement. “We wanted everything to be safe, so taking that extra time was necessary in order to make sure everything would go safely and according to plan.”

Aside from that delay, Burke said everything else in regard to the demolition itself seemed to go as anticipated. The main center span and the shorter span between the two concrete piers near the eastern side of the bridge dropped directly into the waters below, and the most eastern high peak of the bridge folded to the west and followed the main span into the river as well. A smaller implosion a bit later in the day took care of the remaining steel structure on the Wisconsin side of the bridge, while the most western high peak and its supporting steel remained in place, as planned, to be removed manually this spring.

“It turned out to be a big success,” Burke noted. “Aside from the delay, it all went according to plan. The bridge demolition played out just as it was supposed to and the bridge ended up in the water right where it should be sitting. It all ended up being done safely with no incidents, either within the project itself or within the restricted zone, so, all in all, it was a good day.”

Burke said that even though the nearly two-hour delay in Friday’s implosion of the bridge structure was a challenge for the patience of many, it was certainly necessary. “It was really impressive to see Kraemer North America (the bridge project contractor) put together its demolition and safety plans, and then put them all into action,” Burke noted. “They really did a great job of controlling the situation and getting the bridge where they needed it to be, safely and without incident.”

In addition to the measures taken by the project contractor, Burke said the assistance by area law enforcement and other officials in establishing and maintaining the restricted zone around the implosion area was also much appreciated. And he is also grateful to the large crowd in attendance for abiding by the rules and restrictions established for the event.

“I really appreciate everyone coming out to see the implosion,” Burke shared. “Outside of the late start, everything went according to schedule. We were worried about having some issues within the restricted zone, maybe somebody trying to sneak within that zone for a better look, but we did not have any issues, everyone did a good job of finding a spot to watch, staying where they were supposed to, and that helped it all come together according to plan.”

Although the relief and satisfaction of the work being done safely and accurately may have been a cause for celebration for some, others with lifetime and historical attachment to the Black Hawk Bridge understandably had other emotions flowing through them as they watched and reflected. Lifetime Lansing resident Betty Zarwell and her husband, who offered the view from their residence on North 3rd Street in Lansing for some of the photos accompanying this article (and for the video posted to The Standard Newspaper, Waukon Facebook page) were asked to share their sentiments and reflections on the Black Hawk Bridge, and their reflections are printed on this same page below in shaded boxes.

Another Lansing native and lifelong resident, Shirley Darling, has shared her perspectives both about the Black Hawk Bridge and “from” the Black Hawk Bridge in previous submissions printed in this newspaper under the column header “A Span of Many Memories.” The most recent submission by Darling, “A Farewell from Black Hawk Bridge,” was originally printed in the October 15, 2025 edition of The Standard and was posted to The Standard’s website (www.waukonstandard.com) by popular demand the day of the bridge implosion.

Although not being able to witness the implosion event in person due to previous commitments that came into conflict with the rescheduled implosion date a day later than originally planned, Darling was able to watch one of the many livestream broadcasts of what she termed as “the historic event” on her cell phone. She summed up her overall sentiments with a very brief but poignant statement: “It was like watching an old friend go down.”

To read the full article with additional photos, pick up the Wednesday, December 24, 2025 print edition of The Standard or subscribe to our e-edition or print edition by clicking here.