Bettendorf staff outline cost-savings to close $1M-plus shortfall on Gateway Pedestrian Bridge

At the Aug. 4 Committee of the Whole meeting, City Engineer Brent Morlock summarized proposed revisions to cover a funding shortfall on the Gateway Pedestrian Bridge project and sought feedback on staff recommendations to reduce the city's out-of-pocket exposure.

Morlock told the committee the project showed "a little over a million dollars" in deficit but that the project budget included a $200,000 contingency, which puts the net shortfall closer to $800,000. To reduce that gap, staff proposed a package of scope and budget changes:

- Shorten a planned recreational trail segment through the I‑80 and Middle Road interchange. Morlock said this change would reduce the city's share for that trail from $480,000 to $215,000, producing a savings of just over $200,000 by stopping the trail at the north set of ramps and leaving the remainder to be built later with development.

- Remove a conceptual monument sign from the streetscaping scope (an item Morlock said had been budgeted at $125,000 and had not received formal cost development).

- Eliminate a decorative bench and light fixture line item that had a single $40,000 bid outlier; staff said most bidders priced that item at about $8,000 and recommended removing it from the current award.

- Transfer a sanitary sewer extension line currently in a $2 million city-funded CIP budget to the sanitary sewer enterprise fund; Morlock said the sewer work was more appropriately funded by the sewer enterprise.

- Postpone the Kimberly Road resurfacing project by one year (the project is coordinated with Davenport and would otherwise require city funding). Morlock said postponing Kimberly Road would free roughly $930,000 and the remaining $100,000 would come from existing fund balances.

Combined, the trail shortening and streetscaping removals produce about $530,000 in savings; postponing Kimberly Road yields the larger savings that, along with fund balances, would close the remaining gap. Morlock said the bridge bids will be awarded as-is but that staff will remove the identified line items before construction.

Council members praised staff analysis. Council member Greg Jaeger said he would vote in favor of moving forward, citing the city's obligation under the development agreement and public-safety considerations, and added: "If the cost of eggs get to be too expensive and you still want the eggs, you look to cut something else out." Council member Frank (surname not specified in the transcript) and Council member Palczynski also expressed support and congratulated staff. Several council members noted future overages would be handled through additional council approvals as needed. The committee did not take a final funding vote at this meeting; staff said they will proceed with award preparations and present funding adjustments or requests to council as required.