Hawkeye Reporter

The Iowa and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation have announced the initiation of a car ferry service on November 3. This service will serve as an alternative for crossing the Mississippi River following the closure of the Black Hawk Bridge, which connects Lansing, Iowa, and Crawford County, Wisconsin. The bridge was closed on October 20 due to ongoing construction of a new bridge.

The ferry, capable of carrying 12 vehicles, will operate free of charge for 16 hours daily from both states. Departures are scheduled from Wisconsin at 5:30 a.m. and from Iowa at 5:45 a.m., with final departures at 9 p.m. and 9:15 p.m., respectively. The ferry route runs between a landing in Wisconsin near WIS 82 and the Lansing Marina in Iowa.

While the ferry is available to cars, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, and two-axle trucks under ten tons, larger vehicles such as RVs or buses are not permitted. Weather conditions or maintenance needs may temporarily halt operations.

The Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) encourages commuters to use the ferry during peak hours from 5:30–7:30 a.m. and 3:30–5:30 p.m., while non-commuters are advised to travel outside these times if possible.

On holidays observed by Iowa DOT, including Veterans Day on November 11 and Thanksgiving on November 27-28, the ferry will operate on a reduced schedule from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information about the ferry service or updates on bridge construction projects, individuals can visit https://iowadot.gov/lansingcarferry or follow updates through local media and digital message signs near the bridge site. Further details about the new Mississippi River Bridge construction can be found at iowadot.gov/lansingbridge.

Information from this article can be found here.