Lansing Bridge to close and be removed this fall

Iowa DOT

Sometimes no matter how much you plan, design and prepare for what could happen, things don’t always go your way.

When sensors on one of the bridge piers detected movement in May, we closed the bridge out of safety concerns. An in-depth analysis and inspection showed that the bridge remained safe, so we opened it back up to traffic about three weeks later. Our study of the bridge continues. It shows us that the activity of constructing the new bridge threatens the safety of the current bridge, meaning we will have to close it down to safely get the new one built. This decision is not what we wanted, but safety is always the right choice for drivers, construction workers, as well as river and rail traffic that travel under the current bridge.

Currently we are planning to close the old bridge this fall. That’s when our contractor, Kraemer North America, will take down the bridge so work on the new bridge can be completed. This process will involve removing strategic pieces of the bridge, including the deck. When that is completed, different methods of demolition will be used, including the use of explosives. The implosion needs to take place in late 2025/early 2026 so the bridge pieces can be removed from the river and not interfere with barge traffic.

Despite this change of plans, we still hope to have the new bridge open to traffic by mid-2027!

We have received many questions about the construction of the new bridge and the closure of the existing bridge. We will update our FAQ on our project website to address these questions in the coming weeks.

We are also looking into ways to get people across the river without having to drive to the nearest bridge connecting Marquette, Iowa and Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. A couple of the options include resuming the water taxi or establishing a car ferry. We will keep you updated as we move forward in this process.

Note from 7 Rivers Alliance CEO Chris Hardie: The 7 Rivers Alliance is working with federal, state and local officials on options to help local businesses and communities during this bridge closure period.