LANSING, Iowa – Oct. 7, 2025 - The Iowa and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation are proceeding with plans to close the existing Iowa 9/WIS 82 Mississippi River bridge between Lansing, Iowa, and Crawford County, Wis., as construction on a new bridge continues.
- The existing bridge (also known as the Black Hawk Bridge), will close to traffic at approximately 7 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 20.
- Iowa DOT and WisDOT will initiate a free car ferry starting in early November to provide alternative service until the new bridge is projected to open in spring of 2027.
The car ferry service is moving ahead after federal and state government agencies issued permits and provided other environmental clearances.
“We are very pleased that federal and state agencies, including the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the city of Lansing, could work together and quickly approve the necessary steps to allow us to provide this critical service,” stated Iowa DOT Director Scott Marler. “These approvals will allow us to install the infrastructure needed for a car ferry to keep our communities connected when the old bridge needs to be closed.”
The free car ferry will provide an alternative way for vehicles to cross the river. A new bridge is being constructed alongside the existing bridge. Iowa DOT, WisDOT, and the contractor have determined that future construction stages on the new bridge pose a risk to the safety of the existing bridge. Once the existing bridge closes on Oct. 20, crews will start to demolish and remove the old structure so construction on the new bridge can meet the planned 2027 opening.
“We are providing a new and modern structure that stretches across a beautiful and scenic stretch of the Mississippi River,” noted Wisconsin DOT Secretary Kristina Boardman. “The state and federal approvals confirm that we can build the bridge and offer the car ferry service while still maintaining the natural environment that makes this region so special.”
The project will need to install car ferry landings on both sides of the river. Ferry landing construction is already underway, and the exact start date for the ferry will be announced as the work progresses. On the Iowa side, the landing will be located at the Lansing marina, while the ferry will land on the Wisconsin side just south of the new bridge and adjacent to the construction staging area. Planned site improvements including installation of ferry docks, vehicle queuing areas, directional and informational signs, variable message signs, lights, and other features. On the Iowa side, improvements to railroad crossings at the entrance and exit points of the marina have been completed. (A conceptual map is attached to this release.)
In addition to the car ferry, there will be marked detour routes when the bridge closes. The nearest highway bridge is approximately 30 miles south at U.S. 18 connecting Marquette, Iowa, to Prairie du Chien, Wis. The car ferry will serve two-axle vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians, but will not be able to accommodate trucks, buses, trailers, or other large vehicles.
The bridge closure date and car ferry service date will continue to be announced through the project website, the project Facebook page, local media, on digital message signs on either end of the bridge, and through 511ia.org. The Iowa DOT and WisDOT project teams are also communicating closely with government officials and other stakeholders in the affected communities. The project website will soon feature an instruction and FAQ section about the car ferry service to help local residents prepare for that option.
For more information on the construction of the new Mississippi River Bridge as well as updates on the existing bridge status, go to iowadot.gov/lansingbridge. Individuals may also sign up to receive e-mail updates and view the Facebook page www.facebook.com/LansingBridge/.
The latest traveler information is available anytime through our 511 system. Visit 511ia.org; call 511 (within Iowa) or 800-288-1047 (nationwide); stay connected with 511 on Facebook or X (find links at https://iowadot.gov/511/511-social-media-sites); or download the free app to your mobile device.
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For questions about this news release, please contact Clayton Burke at 515-290-2376 or clayton.burke@iowadot.us.
Map of area, project site, and planning car ferry landings
428 43rd St. SW.
Mason City, IA 50401