A Significant Bridge Connecting Iowa, Wisconsin to be Demolished

Tis the week I write about bridges, evidently. After writing about the sorry state of bridges in Iowa, per a new study, news has broken that a massive bridge that connects Iowa to Wisconsin will be no more. This follows its closure in the spring, and after both states' respective departments of transportation have come to an agreement on its demolition.

Per The Des Moines Register and multiple other sources, the Black Hawk Bridge, which connects Lansing, IA to Wisconsin, will be torn down. The Mississippi River bridge was already under scrutiny and underwent several closures, including one in 2024 due to "observed displacement," and then one in May 2025 when sensors detected movement in the bridge.

A replacement bridge is in the works, but still a few years away from coming to fruition. The Black Hawk Bridge is the only connection to the states in a 60 mile stretch. Per The Des Moines Register, the nearest bridges connect La Cross, WI and La Crescent, MN, which is about 35 miles to the north, in addition to a bridge connecting Marquette, IA to Prairie du Chien, WI, which is roughly 30 miles south.

The bridge will officially close in the fall of 2025 for demolition, with the replacement bridge expected to be open by 2027, per the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT). The exact closure date has not been announced.

Photo Credit: IowaDOT, YouTube

The name of the game, as always, is safety, and the state of the Black Hawk Bridge renders demolition the only feasible option in lieu of the structure's deficiencies. The difficult part is going to be the gap-period between the destruction of the current bridge and the erection of a new one.

The project teams for the replacement bridge construction are looking at alternative ways for people to cross the river once the demolition takes place, per The Des Moines Register. During previous closures, water taxi services were provided by both states.