Bridge project steel work transitions to Wisconsin side, road/lane closures coming soon on Iowa side, and car ferry transition scheduled to take place in early April

The latest update from the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) on the bridge replacement project at Lansing shows the focus of the steel structural work shifting heavily to the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River, as crews have erection of the steel framework well underway from Pier 2 in the middle of the river and moving east toward the Wisconsin shoreline and the Wisconsin Highway 82 approach (as pictured in the top photo at right by the Iowa Department of Transportation). Even though that type of work may be as complete as possible at this point on the Iowa side of the project, that certainly does not mean there still isn’t significant work being done on that side of the river.

Iowa DOT District Engineer and Mississippi River bridge project manager Clayton Burke says all the steel members of the bridge structure are in place on the Iowa side (as evident in the bottom photo at right by the Iowa Department of Transportation) but crews are still working on fully securing those members in place. He also advised that now that the steel remnants of the former Black Hawk Bridge have all been removed (as of this publication date but not necessarily shown in the Iowa Department of Transportation photo at right), work will begin on replacement of the retaining wall necessary for connection of the new bridge to its approach from Iowa Highways 9 and 26/North Second Street.

ROAD/LANE CLOSURES UPCOMING
Additionally, Burke advises of some upcoming road and lane closures/adjustments that will be taking place in the very near future. This Wednesday, March 18, a segment of Highways 9/26 between Hale and Henry Streets near the bridge will be closed overnight, from approximately 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. Thursday, March 19 in order for crews to remove the large crane that was utilized in removal of the final steel remnants of the Black Hawk Bridge, much like the road closure approximately one month ago at that same location when that same crane was brought in to help accomplish that task. Burke said if weather becomes an issue for Wednesday night’s overnight closure, the closure and crane removal will be delayed 24 hours to Thursday overnight into Friday morning.

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