Lansing Bridge in western Wisconsin closed once again for emergency repairs

LANSING, Iowa (WLCX) – The bridge connecting Wisconsin to Iowa, called the Black Hawk or Lansing Bridge, is closed once again for emergency repairs.

According to a post from the Iowa Department of Transportation, a shift in one of the bridge’s foundational piers was detected.

DOT officials are closing the bridge until they can inspect the pier and review the sensor to make sure that it’s safe to cross.

According to a post from the DOT, officials expect to have an update by the end of the week. In the meantime, the estimated 2,200 people who use the bridge each day will have to find a detour.

The closure means motorists have to drive over an hour out of the way to cross the Mississippi River by traveling north to La Crosse, Wis. or La Crescent, Minn., or south to Prairie du Chien, Wis. or Marquette, Iowa.

The 94-year-old bridge had to have two new piers set and bridge decking replaced after construction on its replacement shifted part of the bridge in late February of 2024. The bridge was re-opened on April 20 of last year.

The Lansing Bridge had been closed Feb. 25 to April 20 of last year previously. The current bridge was constructed in 1931. The new bridge will cost $140 million, with about 80 percent coming from federal funding and the rest split between Wisconsin and Iowa. Work began in 2023 on the new bridge, which is expected to open in 2027.