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Lansing businesses warily weather loss of vital Black Hawk Bridge link
A car ferry moves people and vehicles across the Mississippi, but business owners say they still are feeling the effects of the bridge closure
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LANSING — The small businesses in the northeast Iowa town of Lansing are hanging in this holiday season, despite the loss of the historic Black Hawk Bridge linking them to many of their employees and loyal customers on the other side of the Mississippi River.
“It was definitely impactful,” said Elissa Shepard, owner of Driftless Gypsy Boutique.
Shepard opened Driftless Gypsy Boutique in 2018, after selling women’s clothing and accessories from a mobile camper as a pop-up shop over the holidays. Customers followed her to the Main Street space she bought and remodeled three years ago, until the bridge closing disruptions.
“You’re the first person that’s walked through the door today,” Shepherd told a visitor Thursday afternoon. She said business was down $5,200 last month compared with November 2024.
“If it continues to trend that way, it’s not going to continue to be sustainable,” Shepherd said. “There’s no way.”
The loss of the bridge, which was imploded on Friday, means traffic — more than 2,200 vehicles a day — must travel across the river on bridges at Marquette, 27 miles south, or LaCrescent, Minn., 36 miles north. A short drive for Lansing businesses’ customers and employees became a three-hour round-trip.
When the 94-year-old bridge, which is being replaced, was closed permanently Oct. 20 after several temporary closures, businesses were already feeling its loss.
“Each time (closings) continued to happen, I think it deterred people from using it,” Shepard said of the bridge. “People were a little more apprehensive.”
The Iowa and Wisconsin transportation departments hired the Pride of Cassville, which usually carries vehicles between its Wisconsin namesake and a landing near Millville, to provide service to and from Lansing during its winter offseason.
“It’s a godsend,” retired veterinarian Raleigh Buckmaster said of the ferry.
“It’s a little fun on the windy days, but they’re doing a great job,” said Robert McCumber, who works at Horsfall’s Lansing Variety store, which is — like the Black Hawk Bridge — a local landmark.
But some businesses are feeling the pinch more than others.
“We’re definitely seeing more of our Wisconsin people” than during earlier closures without the ferry, said Dave Janzen, owner of Lansing Hardware Hank. “It’s still not as busy as having a full, open bridge, though.”
“People are still coming over,” said Robert McCumber, who works at Horsfall’s Lansing Variety. “Not like usually, when they would make a special trip over.”
Janzen said the ferry is a big help on deliveries and service calls to Wisconsin customers.
“I’d be driving about an hour and half each time (without the ferry),” he said. “It’s been a lifesaver, for sure.”
But Wisconsin neighbors don’t seem as inclined to take the ferry to lunch or for a shopping trip.
“Our patrons are seniors, mostly,” said Diana Eiden-Thompson, who co-owns Coffee on the River with her sister Wendy Eiden. “Some of them are afraid to use the ferry. Even with the ferry, we’re down 70 percent. It’s not great.”
Ferry service was interrupted by high winds Thursday afternoon and severe weather the weekend after Thanksgiving.
“It’s not without challenges, because we don’t operate in the cold and ice,” said Ron White, chairman of the Cassville Harbor Commission. “So far, so good. We’ve had to work through some things but that’s normal.”
Wisconsin and Iowa are splitting the $17 million cost of the ferry, infrastructure and support services, according to Burke. The states pay Cassville $8,065 per day for the service, which is free to passengers.
Burke said the states are working to contract another ferry to take over the service when the Pride of Cassville returns to its usual route in the spring.
“This new service is intended to remain in place until the new bridge is open to traffic” in 2027, according to Burke.
The new $124 million, 1,700-foot bridge is scheduled to open to traffic in spring 2027. Meanwhile, Lansing residents are pulling together.
“It’s a wonderful town,” Buckmaster said. “You can’t beat it. It’s a small town, good people.”
“We try and support each other in town,” Eiden-Thompson said. “We’re a small community. Get that bridge done!”
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