The new Interstate 74 bridge between Bettendorf and Moline has been the center of attention for years. Now, it’s time to look under the bridge. Those two cities — separated by the Mississippi River — are moving forward with projects to create park space and spruce up the areas under the bridge. Those plans might […]
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The new Interstate 74 bridge between Bettendorf and Moline has been the center of attention for years. Now, it’s time to look under the bridge.
Those two cities — separated by the Mississippi River — are moving forward with projects to create park space and spruce up the areas under the bridge. Those plans might also include a skatepark and bicycle pump track in Moline, where amenities are under study.
“Things are going good with the park,” Brent Morlok, Bettendorf’s city engineer, said about work on the new five-acre Urban Park being developed. “The trail is done. Rock decorating is being done. The majority (of the initial phase) of the park is done.”
Some of the features of the in-the-works park include: walkways under the bridge that will connect with the Mississippi River Trail system; native plants and trees; landscaping with numerous rocks; newly installed fencing; and eventually an elevator that will connect the park to the I-74 bridge walkway above.
Most of the park construction work has wrapped up for the season. However, fencing and landscaping work continued through late November. Mr. Morlok said the original plans called for a chain link fence for the project, but the city decided to pay the extra cost of upgrading the fence to a more stylish, fancier black wrought iron style fence.
“The Urban Park will be a great amenity for downtown Bettendorf, utilizing valuable space while providing better connectivity to the east and west sides of downtown Bettendorf, Moline and the Mississippi River,” according to the Downtown Bettendorf Organization’s (DBO) Facebook page.
The Urban Park plan — being conducted by the Iowa Department of Transportation — is moving forward in two phases. The first phase, which started work in June, is largely complete. Mr. Morlok said he hopes this portion of the project will be complete by late spring of 2023.
The park’s first phase will cost about $2.7 million, with the City of Bettendorf paying just under $700,000 of that cost, the city engineer added. (A video of the new park can be found at https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=614858240015141).
The second phase of the park project — which will include the construction and installation of an elevator to the bridge walkway — still has many unanswered questions. That phase is expected to cost about $4.3 million. Bidding on that portion of the park is expected to take place in February, 2023.
Mr. Morlok said he’s not sure when this second phase of the park work will be done because “supply chain issues will drive this.”
“It’s going to be great, but it’s not going to be your typical park,” he said, adding that much of the project will be devoted to walking trails under the bridge. “Some people might be mislead when you say the word ‘park.’”
Across the river in Moline, there has been landscaping work under the new bridge. But more could be on the horizon.
Eric Griffith, Moline’s parks and recreation director, said the city has plans for a skatepark and bicycle pump track for the land under the bridge. The Moline City Council on Dec. 13 approved a resolution for an agreement for the Phase 1 design of the park under the new bridge. The agreement is with New Line Skatepark Inc. for about $82,400.
The size of the potential park has yet to be determined. The cost also is not finalized, but the original project cost was about $1.5 million, Mr. Griffith said.
Moline also is in the midst of a larger redevelopment plan for land around the new bridge. In September, the city announced it has bought the BridgePointe 485 building at 1 Montgomery Drive and seven acres of land in the area for $3.1 million. The property will be used for future riverfront development that could include a mixture of commercial, recreation and residential projects.
Moline City Administrator Bob Vitas said that one of the next steps is to form a master plan for the property. This master plan process will likely happen next year and take six or seven months to complete.
Until that is done, it is not known exactly how the property will be used, the costs or timeline for possible construction projects at BridgePointe 485.
