A major Mississippi River bridge replacement connecting Lansing, Iowa, and rural Crawford County, Wis., is moving toward completion several months ahead of schedule.
The Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) and Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) announced Sept. 3, 2026, that the new Iowa 9/WIS 82 Mississippi River crossing is expected to open to traffic in early November, rather than the original spring 2027 target.
The project has been under construction since late 2023, with Kraemer North America serving as the contractor. Project officials credited concentrated work by contractors and sub-contractors, along with favorable weather and river conditions, for helping accelerate the schedule, according to Iowa DOT.
The more than 1,700-ft. bridge replaces the historic Black Hawk Bridge, which opened in 1931. The old bridge was permanently closed in October 2025 and demolished in December.
The replacement has required extensive river-based construction, including large cranes, specialized drilling equipment, barges and concrete-pumping operations.
Building From Both Sides
Much of the bridge's structural steel was fabricated at a plant in Gary, Ind., and transported to the project site in Wisconsin. Approximately 300 semitrailer loads were needed to deliver the steel, according to Iowa DOT.
Once at the site, the steel was loaded onto barges in the sequence required for erection.
Crews began erecting the bridge from the Iowa side before shifting operations to the Wisconsin side. The steelwork eventually left a 220-ft. gap between the two portions of the bridge.
That gap was filled with a center span assembled separately on barges near the Lansing Marina.
The approach allowed crews to conduct much of the center-span work away from the active bridge location while minimizing disruptions to river traffic. The off-site assembly also helped improve schedule efficiency, according to Iowa DOT.
On June 12, the approximately 220-ft. center section was floated downstream by barge and positioned between the Iowa and Wisconsin portions of the bridge. Crews then lifted the section into place and connected it to the completed steelwork.
The operation required the river channel to be restricted while the span was positioned, lifted, connected and inspected, according to Iowa DOT.
Heavy Equipment Handles River Work
Iowa DOT photo
The project's foundation work required equipment capable of operating in the Mississippi River and drilling into bedrock.
Several large cranes in the 100- to 210-ton range were used during construction, while a ringer crane weighing more than 400 tons was assembled on a barge for work in the river, according to Iowa DOT.
The ringer crane, which operates from a large circular ring and can rotate 360 degrees, was used for construction of the river piers and other bridge work.
The bridge's foundation system also required specialized drilling equipment.
The river pier is supported by three drilled shafts approximately 11.5 ft. in diameter and roughly 140 to 150 ft. deep. Crews first drove large steel casings into the riverbed with a vibratory hammer before drilling into bedrock to create rock sockets.
After the shafts were drilled, workers lowered large reinforcing-steel cages into the casings and filled them with concrete.
Getting concrete into the river pier foundations required two concrete pump trucks. One operated from shore while a second was positioned on a barge. Ready-mix trucks supplied concrete to the shore-based pump, which transferred the material to the pump on the barge and ultimately into the drilled shafts, according to Iowa DOT.
Cofferdams and coffercells also were used to create dry work areas around portions of the foundation.
The river pier's footing was designed to withstand a potential barge impact, according to Iowa DOT.
On land, excavators, skid steers and lifts have been among the heavy equipment used on the project. Iowa DOT estimated that approximately 10,000 cu. yds. of dirt and sand would be moved during construction.
Wider Crossing
Iowa DOT photo
The new bridge is designed to provide a substantial improvement over the 1931 structure.
The old bridge had a 21-ft.-wide deck with two narrow traffic lanes and no shoulders. The replacement will have a 40-ft.-wide deck with two 12-ft. lanes and two 8-ft. shoulders, ac-cording to Iowa DOT.
The new crossing also will provide a 750-ft. navigation channel, compared with approximately 650 ft. through the existing bridge. The additional width will give commercial river traffic more room to navigate the crossing, according to Iowa DOT.
The bridge retains a steel-truss appearance intended to reflect the character of the historic Black Hawk Bridge while incorporating a modern concrete deck and updated structural and safety features.
With the major structural work substantially advanced, crews now are completing the remaining bridge, deck and approach work needed to open the crossing.
The exact opening date will be established in the coming weeks. Some work will continue outside the primary traffic lanes after the bridge opens, according to Iowa DOT.
The accelerated schedule represents a significant achievement for a project being constructed in one of the region's most challenging environments — a major river crossing re-quiring heavy lifting, deep foundation drilling and extensive barge-based operations.
Instead of waiting until spring 2027, motorists could be driving across the new Lansing bridge before winter sets in.
