Historic bridge to be demolished

After 94 years of service, the historic Black Hawk Bridge will be demolished this Friday, years ahead of its planned replacement timeline.

The Black Hawk Bridge will be demolished on Friday, December 19, closing a 94-year chapter over the Mississippi River. Iowa’s Department of Transportation will livestream the demolition.

Construction on a replacement bridge began in late 2023. Initially, officials planned to keep the current bridge open until the new structure was completed in 2027. However, the timeline changed.

In July, authorities announced the bridge would close and be demolished this year.

Contractors will deploy drones with thermal cameras before the explosion. The drones will scan the closed area to ensure no one is present. Meanwhile, a warning horn will sound for five minutes, followed by a one-minute final alert.

The explosion will send most of the bridge into the water below. Subsequently, crews will dismantle the Iowa-side section manually. That portion sits above several residential properties.

Work crews will cut the submerged steel structures into sections after the blast. Finally, barges will transport the debris to the Wisconsin side for disposal.