Visitors and locals who want to cross Bettendorf’s Interstate 80 and Middle Road Corridor will soon have a safe, scenic way to walk, run, or bike from one side of the rapidly developing Plex area in northern Bettendorf to the other.
During a special meeting Monday, Aug. 4, the Bettendorf City Council hired Cramer and Associates, Inc., a more than 70-year-old Grimes, Iowa bridge builder, to construct the Gateway Pedestrian Bridge over Middle Road just south of Interstate 80.
The council approved spending $11.8 million which includes A new $11,595,856 contract with Cramer plus $200,000 in contingencies, Jeff Reiter, Bettendorf assistant city administrator and economic development director, told the QCBJ this morning, Aug. 5.
The new pedestrian bridge will connect the TBK Bank Sports Complex corner of Forest Grove Drive/Middle Road with the Iron Tee Golf corner, the city said in a news release following Monday night’s vote. The structure will feature color-changing lights that will bookend the light displays on the now award-winning Interstate 74 Bridge between Bettendorf and Moline.
The overall cost is $14.5 million and also includes the $2.25 million the city spent for the pedestrian bridge design and construction of trail systems and $450,000-$500,000 for construction observation of the work by a structural engineer.
The pedestrian crossing work is targeted for completion at the end of next year. Revenue to pay for the bonds was approved by the council in December 2023.
“This project is being completed without raising taxes,” Bettendorf City Administrator Decker Ploehn stressed in the city’s news release. “Instead, we are using tax revenue generated from the economic development of the area where this bridge will stand and support the I-80 and Middle Road Corridor once it’s completed.”
Why build Gateway Bridge?
There are a number of reasons why the Gateway Bridge is important, the city said in the aftermath of Monday night’s vote:
- Public Safety: As the area continues to grow, leaders noticed the need for additional options for safely moving visitors and residents between the two sides of The Plex. The area already includes TBK Bank Sports Complex, Iron Tee Golf, Forest Grove Sports Complex, two hotels, several restaurants, bars and other businesses and more are in the works. “We have a responsibility to keep people safe across our whole city, including this very busy corridor, and the Gateway Bridge will do just that,” Bettendorf Police Chief Doug Scott said.
- Recreation: The new bridge will not only serve as a connector between two corners of the Plex it will connect the regional trail system between Davenport and LeClaire. With the addition of houses and apartments to the east and west of the I-80 and Middle Road Corridor, the city said more and more walkers, runners, and cyclists are using Forest Grove Drive and Middle Road to get exercise and explore.
- Regionalism: The I-80 and Middle Road Corridor is the entrance to the Quad Cities for many visitors and lays the groundwork for their first impression of the region. According to Visit Quad Cities, visitor spending surpassed record levels in 2023, reaching $1.37 billion- plus and supporting 9,346 jobs in our community.
- Economic Development: The I-80 and Middle Road Corridor has become a regional tourism destination. According to Visit Quad Cities and based on analytics it collected via Datafy between Jan. 1, 2019 and Dec. 31, 2024, there have been 7,798,884 total visits to this area, with 55% including an overnight stay.
TBK projects the driver
“Since opening in 2018, the TBK Bank Sports Complex has become a national footprint for youth sporting events,” Mr. Ploehn said in the release. “Not only that, it’s an economic catalyst. What’s been created in this area has far exceeded our expectations, and we cannot be more excited for continued growth, including seeing the Gateway Bridge come to fruition.”
Mr. Reiter said in the release “That continued growth is being seen in every corner of this area.”
For example, he added, “ORA Orthopedics is expected to open its new outpatient surgery center and headquarters in 2026. QCR Holdings broke ground on its new corporate headquarters and consumer banking branch of Quad City Bank & Trust in May 2025, and MercyOne Genesis is planning to build a new hospital complex in the coming years.”
The timing of Monday’s council action also was important, the city said because the project coincides with a major state project. The Iowa Department of Transportation plans to begin reconfiguring the I-80 and Middle Road Interchange this year. It’s an estimated $69 million IDOT investment.
If the Gateway Bridge were to be delayed, it could not be built until after that interchange is reconfigured, which is estimated to be in 2028 or 2029, the release said. “This investment from the State of Iowa is yet another example of the success we’re seeing in this area and the reason why we need to provide a grand entrance for visitors and residents to see how special Bettendorf and the Quad Cities are,” Mr. Reiter added.
“Once that reconfiguration happens and the Spencer Creek Lift Station Improvement Project is completed, we expect development north of I-80 to accelerate.”
To follow the progress
Design work of the new bridge was completed in 2024 along with Phase 1 which extended the recreational trail on the west side of Middle Road so that the Gateway Bridge connects Bettendorf’s regional trail system between Davenport and LeClaire.
With Monday’s vote, Cramer and Associates, Inc. will begin construction later this summer or early fall. Work on the arch piers and elevated trail foundations will begin first, extending into the winter. The actual bridge and related trail construction will occur in 2026. The project is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2026.
Throughout the process, Bettendorf will be updating www.bettendorf.org/NewGateway as well as the city’s Facebook page, Nextdoor Account, and sending out texts and/or emails to users who opt into the following Alert Iowa Lists: Gateway Bridge Project, Road Construction, Road Closures, and Traffic Notifications.
Residents can view all of the city’s communications channels and customize their own by visiting www.bettendorf.org/BEintheKNOW.
