A diminutive ferry has begun regular service on the upper Mississippi River, connecting Lansing, Iowa, with Wisconsin near De Soto and Ferryville while the Black Hawk Bridge is demolished and a new span built.
The states’ joint project for the Iowa 9/Wisconsin 82 Lansing crossing highways includes the free public ferry service, which commenced Monday Nov. 3. The Pride of Cassville, usually a summer seasonal ferry in its namesake Wisconsin homeport, arrived over the weekend for preparations.
State officials entered a contract with the Village of Cassville and its Cassville Ferry to provide the daily service during the bridge project, said Clayton Burke, a spokesman for the Iowa Department of Transportation. The 15-minute crossings will be available from 5:30 a.m. from Wisconsin and 5:45 AM from Iowa, to the last daily trips between 9 p.m. from the Wisconsin bank and 9:15 p.m. from Iowa. State officials recommend motorists arrive at least 15 minutes before the last sailing on the day.
Burke says the vehicle capacity is typically eight to 12 cars and trucks, depending on the size of pickup trucks. Cars, motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians are allowed, and two-axle trucks under 10 tons, according to the project website.
Service is planned to be continuous without a fixed schedule, with loading on a first-come, first-served basis. The ferry will save drivers a 60- to 70-minute detour during when they would travel to the south through Marquette/Prairie du Chien, Wisc., or to the north through La Crescent, Minn., or LaCrosse, Wisc.
On most days, two round-trip ferry cycles could be completed in the same time it takes to use the detour.
The flat deck barge and pushboat ferry dates to 1988, but the historic Cassville ferry is believed to date to the 1830s, the northernmost of 11 river ferries, according to local history.
Video feeds of the ferry queue went live on Monday and roadside message signs at both landings will share updates on closures. Closure updates will be posted on the ferry website, the bridge project’s Facebook page, and the 511 website and app.
Live web camera feeds will show activity at the Iowa and Wisconsin sites. Drivers can check these cameras and 511ia.org “before your trip or while your vehicle is stopped; do not use your mobile device while driving,” state officials cautioned.
There will be planned closures including two to three days in December 2025 for bridge demolition. Iowa DOT and WisDOT will announce the closure dates. The departments will also announce any future closures due to construction as needed.
“The ferry will operate in winter as long as the river remains navigable,” according to the agencies. “Severe ice or extreme weather may still force temporary shutdowns.”
