Tis the week I write about bridges, evidently. After writing about the sorry state of bridges in Iowa, per a new study, news has broken that a massive bridge that connects Iowa to Wisconsin will be no more. This follows its closure in the spring, and after both states’ respective departments of transportation have come to an agreement on its demolition.
Per The Des Moines Register and multiple other sources, the Black Hawk Bridge, which connects Lansing, IA to Wisconsin, will be torn down. The Mississippi River bridge was already under scrutiny and underwent several closures, including one in 2024 due to “observed displacement,” and then one in May 2025 when sensors detected movement in the bridge.
A replacement bridge is in the works, but still a few years away from coming to fruition. The Black Hawk Bridge is the only connection to the states in a 60 mile stretch. Per The Des Moines Register, the nearest bridges connect La Cross, WI and La Crescent, MN, which is about 35 miles to the north, in addition to a bridge connecting Marquette, IA to Prairie du Chien, WI, which is roughly 30 miles south…