Water Taxi, Shuttle Service in Works During Mississippi River Bridge Repairs at Lansing

While repairs continue on the existing Black Hawk Bridge over the Mississippi River at Lansing, a water taxi service is being developed to shuttle people back and forth across the river.

On February 25th, the Iowa DOT was alerted to unexpected movement on the bridge connecting Highway 9 in Lansing to Highway 82 in Wisconsin and the bridge was closed as a result of this discovery.

An inspection by engineers determined there was movement in two existing bridge piers near the work zone. As crews work to stabilize the bridge, portions of the bridge deck are being removed, leaving large gaps in the bridge surface. Thus, the bridge is also not safe for pedestrian use and will be closed to all traffic during repairs. 

The DOT says the bridge will not reopen until it is safe for public use, with repairs expected to be complete by late April.

Meanwhile, the DOT is in the final stages of planning a “water taxi” to bring people across the river at Lansing while the bridge is closed. That service also needs van shuttle drivers to help take passengers to their final destination once they arrive at the Lansing Marina or at Big Slough boat landing.

Adults who have a chauffeur’s license or a CDL are invited to apply for these paid positions. The shuttle schedule being proposed is divided into time slots  of 7 to 10 am, 11 am to 1 pm, and 3 to 6 pm. The shuttle is free for passengers.

Contact the City of Lansing for more information.