Important Warning About The Mississippi River Bridge Implosion In Wisconsin, Iowa

The Mississippi River Bridge at Lansing, also known as the Black Hawk Bridge, is an iconic structure that has been serving Iowa and Wisconsin since 1931, except between 1945 and 1957, when damage from ice dams forced it to close.

The more than 1,700-foot bridge connects Iowa Highway 9 in Lansing, Iowa, to Wisconsin Highway 82 in rural Crawford County, Wisconsin, and in recent years, officials in Iowa and Wisconsin announced the bridge would be replaced for several reasons, including its structural condition, safety, geometry, which makes it difficult for truck traffic, and more.

A replacement bridge has been under construction alongside the existing bridge, and now the time has come for the implosion of the existing bridge, along with the removal of its main section, to allow the construction of the new bridge to proceed safely and open as planned in 2027.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), together with the Iowa Department of Transportation, recently provided details on the planned implosion in order to prepare the public on what to expect.

Bridge Implosion Details

As expected, officials say there will be strict protocols in the city of Lansing to ensure the safety of the public. Failure of the public to comply with the restrictions could impact, delay, or prevent the implosion, and individuals could be held liable for delays.

It's also worth noting that the Iowa Department of Transportation will display a livestream of the event at iowadot.gov/lansingbridge. People are encouraged to watch the livestream as a safer option than being in the area.

Here are the updated details on the scheduled implosion:

• The implosion is now scheduled for approximately 9:30 a.m. on Friday, December 19. Please note that this time could be adjusted due to weather conditions or other issues. There will be audible warning horns sounded five minutes and one minute before the implosion.
• The planned implosion at 9:30 a.m. will be followed later in the day by a smaller implosion on the east end of the bridge. There will be audible warning horns identical to the first implosion. This second event will not require any closures on the Iowa side, but the Wisconsin ferry landing and WIS 82 will remain closed.
• Unauthorized drones / unmanned aerial vehicles are prohibited in the restricted zone, and the presence of any unauthorized drone will delay or cancel the demolition.
• In Iowa, the project team will mark and enforce an 850-foot restricted zone from the bridge with road closures and barricades. This includes segments of IA 9 / IA 26, Front Street, and several cross streets and alleys from downtown Lansing to the marina. There will be no parking or pedestrians allowed in the restricted zone. See attached map for details.
• The City of Lansing will impose street closures and parking restrictions starting around 6 a.m. Friday, December 19. IA 9 / IA 26 will close around 8:45 a.m. before the implosion to ensure the area is clear and will reopen about 30 minutes after the implosion as crews inspect the blast zone and the remaining bridge structure. Detour signs will be posted to divert through-traffic. The IA 9 / IA 26 detour will be shown on Iowa 511 (511ia.org).
• A 1,000-foot restricted zone will be enforced on the river. State and local officials strongly advise that onlookers not stand on the ice. Ice on the Mississippi River can be extremely unstable due to currents and warmer water temperatures.
• The free car ferry service will end operations at 6 p.m. Thursday, December 18, to facilitate preparations on and around the bridge. The car ferry will resume operations on the morning of Monday, December 22. Additional delays may be necessary to clear debris from the river channel.
• In Wisconsin, the entire ferry landing area will be closed to the public once car ferry service ends on Thursday, December 18, as the landing is within the 850-foot restricted zone. There will be no public viewing areas on the Wisconsin side. The Big Slough and Winneshiek boat landings will be closed on December 18 and are anticipated to re-open the evening of December 19. WIS 82 will be closed at 6 p.m. Thursday, December 18, once the ferry service shuts down, and is anticipated to reopen the evening of December 19. The ferry landing area will remain closed until the car ferry reopens on Monday, Dec. 22.
• The project contractor and subcontractors are contacting all residents and property owners in the restricted area and providing voluntary home inspections and window protections. Residents will also be given instructions and timelines for shelter-in-place or evacuation options.
• The demolition contractor will sound an “all clear" long siren blast after 100% detonation is confirmed. However, this siren only signals the release of the work zone to the primary project contractor, who will then perform final safety checks. The restricted zones will remain in place for at least 30 minutes following the implosion.
• The project team has coordinated a track outage with the Canadian Pacific and, Kansas City Southern Railroad, and there will be no trains through Lansing for approximately four hours on the morning of Friday, December 19.
• The implosion may be loud. Anyone with hearing sensitivity is advised to remain inside and use ear protection if needed.​

The demolition could be delayed due to weather or other issues, and the project team has secured December 20 as a backup date if needed. Iowa DOT and WisDOT will issue any updates about delays or cancellations if those situations occur.​

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Additional information on the construction of the new Mississippi River Bridge, as well as updates on the existing bridge status, is available at iowadot.gov/lansingbridge.