A riveted cantilever bridge that takes a highway over the Mississippi River between Iowa and Wisconsin will be demolished on 18 December to make way for its replacement.
Black Hawk Bridge (also known as Lansing Bridge) was closed to traffic in May 2025 after sensors detected movement in the two piers. The car ferry service that has been providing a crossing since the closure will be suspended for a few days during the demolition and the clean-up.
There is strong public interest in the planned implosion. So to ensure public safety, the contractor and officials from the departments of transportation (DOT) for Wisconsin and Iowa have involved local authorities, law enforcement and government agencies in planning the demolition. The two DOTs will also inform media about a safe viewing area in the days before the implosion.
The new bridge will have a similar design, but will be more appropriate for modern traffic. A tight road turn that restricts freight movement in the area has been designed out of the nearby road layout. The new structure will be wider, allowing for a hard shoulder. It will have a concrete deck, rather than steel grate, which should give travellers a smoother ride and make the bridge easier to maintain in snow and icy conditions. It will also permit a wider navigation channel to better accommodate barges.
