September Bridge Talk shows new Mississippi River Bridge crossing at Lansing is moving into final push toward early-November opening
Bridge talks may wrap up as new bridge project does ... Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) District Engineer Clayton Burke, project manager for the new Mississippi River Bridge at Lansing, shares information pertaining to the bridge project with the crowd in attendance at the monthly Bridge Talk meeting most recently held September 10 at Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library in Lansing. The Bridge Talk meetings have been held each month since November 2023, shortly after work on the bridge project began. As the new bridge nears its early-November opening this year, Burke said the monthly Bridge Talk sessions will likely come to an end as well. Image submitted by Joshua Sharpe.
by Joshua Sharpe
The September 10 Bridge Talk at Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library took on a different tone than earlier updates on the Iowa 9/WIS 82 Mississippi River bridge, as the project now moves toward an early-November opening and crews focus on the work needed to make the new crossing ready for traffic. Iowa Department of Transportation District Staff Engineer Clayton Burke led much of the presentation alongside HNTB structural engineer Travis Konda, walking attendees through roadway reconstruction, bridge-deck work, safety barriers, remaining structural connections, and the work expected to continue after the bridge opens.
Burke described the number of activities underway across the project as crews work toward the accelerated schedule, saying there are “all kinds of things going on all at once by so many different people” as crews work “to make this early opening happen.”
BRIDGE APPROACHES MOVE CLOSER TO COMPLETION
On the Iowa side, Burke said construction had advanced far enough for traffic to be shifted onto the newly completed northbound pavement while crews reconstruct the remaining roadway. The work includes building up the roadway base, installing storm sewer and drainage infrastructure, and completing the higher approach required by the new bridge’s geometry. Burke emphasized that the accelerated schedule has not eliminated the need for careful inspection and construction of those components.
Across the Mississippi River, crews were also approaching completion of the Wisconsin 82 connection, with pavement, shoulders and slope work advancing around the bridge approach and boat landing. “Everything should look really nice coming off the bridge on this side, but we’re really close in Wisconsin,” Burke said.
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