Connecting the Community One Bridge at a Time
The Mississippi River Trail is a 3,000-mile bike and pedestrian path that starts at the river’s headwaters in Itasca, Minnesota, stretching all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. This trail can be found throughout the Quad Cities. Cyclists and pedestrians can currently travel from Princeton, IA to Concord street in West Davenport, but it can be risky due to the paths consisting of four-foot-wide shoulders along the highway in some areas. The City of Bettendorf, IA has completed their path connectivity along the trail, providing a safe trail for cyclists and pedestrians.
A bridge path was constructed over Crow Creek, adjacent to U.S. 67, in the final connection for the city of Bettendorf. J&M Civil Design specialist, Bryce Johnson, couldn’t be happier with the outcome, despite the challenges that had arisen at the job site. The area was always busy due to the highway, and the bridge was to be built over a creek and ditch. With the construction build from Valley Construction, Rock Island, additional help from MidAmerica Basement Systems was needed.
Due to the structure of the bridge, proper and stable support was crucial. MidAmerica Basement Systems assisted in the installation of a Helical Pile system. Helical Piles are a steel foundation system used to support and permanently stabilize heavy structures. The piles were advanced deep into the ground to the proper, stable depth of 30 feet per pile. Without the proper depths reached, over the years, the soil can shift and settle causing a failure in the bridge’s support.
With the proper support from the Helical Pile system, Valley Construction was able to complete and provide a safe bridge path for cyclists and pedestrians, helping “bridge” path after path between the Mississippi River communities. Enjoy a safe walk or bike ride along the path for yourself!
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