LANSING, Iowa – Sept. 3, 2026 – The Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) and Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) are announcing that the Iowa 9 / WIS 82 Mississippi River Crossing at Lansing is proceeding well ahead of the original timeline. The agencies expect to open the bridge to traffic in early November 2026, instead of the initial planned opening in spring 2027.
“This is incredible news for Lansing, its neighboring communities in Wisconsin, and everyone who lives and works in the region,” noted Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. “I commend Iowa DOT and their colleagues at WisDOT along with all the consultants and contractors – most notably Kraemer North America – for their outstanding teamwork on this critical project. What a wonderful gift, and just in time for the holiday season and winter travel.”
The Mississippi River Crossing project has been proceeding since late 2023. The prior bridge was closed permanently in late 2025 and demolished in December 2025. Project staff credited the early opening plans to the concentrated work of the contractors and subcontractors, which has also been aided by favorable weather and river conditions.
Since November 2025, Iowa DOT and WisDOT have provided a free car ferry service through two different operators. In all, the ferry service has carried almost 131,000 vehicles over the river through the end of August 2026.
Motorists who cannot or choose not to use the ferry have used a marked detour route on the U.S. 18 bridge connecting Marquette, Iowa, and Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, about 30 miles south of the crossing at Lansing.
The exact bridge opening date will not be established for several weeks as construction continues. Even after the bridge opens to traffic, there will be additional work to be completed outside of the main traffic lanes. When the bridge opens to traffic, the car ferry service will be discontinued, and the project will restore the ferry landing areas. Iowa DOT and WisDOT will work closely with the contractors and the local communities to pinpoint the exact opening.
For more information on the construction of the new Mississippi River Bridge at Lansing, go to iowadot.gov/lansingbridge and sign up to receive updates directly to your inbox or check out our Facebook page www.facebook.com/LansingBridge/.
Information on the ferry is available at https://iowadot.gov/lansingcarferry.
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/travel-tools/iowa-511/511-social-media-sites); or download the free app to your mobile device.
It’s easy to subscribe to Your 511 and sign up to receive email/text alerts. Visit https://new.511ia.org/#login to sign up. For instructions and help with this feature, visit https://511ia.org/help/section/how-to-create-and-manage-a-511-account.html.
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For questions about this news release, please contact Clayton Burke at 515-290-2376 or [email protected].
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