New bridge opens months ahead of schedule, restoring vital connection between Iowa and Wisconsin for residents, businesses, and visitors
LANSING — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), officials from the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT), and local community leaders, today celebrated the opening of the new WIS 82 / Iowa 9 Mississippi River bridge connecting Lansing, Iowa, and Crawford County, Wisconsin. The bridge opening marks a significant milestone for the region, restoring a vital transportation connection between the two states and providing residents, businesses, and visitors alike with a modern, reliable route to cross the Mississippi River. The bridge is opening months ahead of its original spring 2027 schedule, reflecting the extensive collaboration and commitment of WisDOT, Iowa DOT, construction crews, project partners, and local communities.
“The opening of the new Lansing Bridge is a major achievement for Wisconsin and our partners in Iowa, and it shows just what we can accomplish when we work across state lines to make life easier for our states’ residents, businesses, and visitors,” said Gov. Evers. “This project reflects our commitment to building the 21st-century infrastructure needed to support a 21st-century economy, and I’m proud of the collaboration and work done to restore this vital connection between our states as quickly and as safely as possible, ensuring a reliable connection for the region for generations to come.”
After years of neglect under the previous administration, Gov. Evers has made fixing Wisconsin’s roads and bridges and making sure the state’s infrastructure can meet the needs of a 21st-century workforce and economy a top priority. According to the latest updates from WisDOT, under Gov. Evers’ leadership, the state has improved 11,685 miles of roads and 2,772 bridges statewide since 2019.
The $165 million Mississippi River Bridge project began in late 2023. The new bridge replaces the historic Black Hawk Bridge, which was permanently closed in late 2025, after temporary closures earlier in 2025 and in 2024. In November 2025, WisDOT and Iowa DOT partnered to provide free temporary car ferry service, helping maintain a connection between the communities during the bridge construction. During its year-long service, the ferry carried more than 160,000 vehicles.
“Opening this bridge ahead of schedule is an incredible accomplishment and a testament to the hard work and partnership that made this project possible,” said WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman. “From coordinating construction across two states to maintaining a temporary ferry service, our teams worked together every step of the way to keep these communities connected. This new bridge will provide a safer, more dependable connection and support the region for many years.”
The new bridge was constructed with about 11,400 cubic yards of concrete and 6,600 tons of steel. It was carefully designed to resemble the former structure, which is an icon of the Lansing, Iowa community. The bridge foundations are 150 feet deep, which are nearly three times deeper than the original bridge that was constructed by a private toll company. The new bridge features wider traffic lanes and wider shoulders and is expected to carry about 2,500 vehicles daily. More than 60 contractors, consultants, and industry partners worked on the project.
Although the new bridge is open to traffic, there will be additional work to finish the project, including restoration of the car ferry landing areas and removal of the prior bridge piers and foundations. In spring 2027, additional work on the bridge deck will require traffic disruptions but should not require full closures. View the construction progress on the Lansing Bridge project Facebook page. The entire Lansing Bridge project is expected to be completed in late spring 2027.
An online version of this release is available here.