Buoyed by new bridge, Bettendorf continues booming growth
Daniel Hoffman
Published Mar 14, 2026
Bettendorf is clearly a city on the move and is working on more big things to grow, Mayor Bob Gallagher said Wednesday in his annual State of the City address at the QC Waterfront Convention Center.
Though he had a lectern in the packed lunch meeting, the enthusiastic mayor hardly ever stood behind it, instead singing the city’s praises while pacing and scanning through an impressive PowerPoint that detailed Bettendorf’s accomplishments and dreams.
An increasing area of focus is the booming area around Forest Grove Drive, Middle Road and I-80, and Gallagher showed a computer animation of further street and streetscaping improvements, to cost $11.5 million ($8 million of that from federal funds).
The animation displayed a view as if you were driving east on Forest Grove, and turning north on Middle Road, with a cool new pedestrian overpass, with a basket-handle design (like the new billion-dollar I-74 bridge), in Bettendorf blue.
“It’s going to be a great gateway into our city,” Gallagher said.
Bettendorf is planning improvements along the Forest Grove Drive and Middle Road corridors, which will establish a new gateway to the city from the north. This project will continue improvements to Forest Grove Drive, which began in 2015, in collaboration with the City of Davenport and their improvements to Veterans Memorial Parkway.
Significant development, both commercial and residential, along this corridor over the past several years has driven the need to provide an upgraded roadway system, according to the city. With traffic projected to grow substantially over the next 20 years, this project is needed to provide safe, multimodal connectivity between communities and local destinations.
The Forest Grove project will reconstruct and widen Forest Grove Drive, starting just east of International Drive and extending east through Middle Road. Improvements to Middle Road starting just south of Forest Grove Drive and extending to just south of the I-80 interchange will also be included in the project.
The “Ped Bridge” would be in addition to the estimated $11.5 million of road improvements already underway. The structure would span Middle Road and link TBK’s current sports facilities with its future expansion.
The huge expansion to the booming TBK Bank Sports Complex includes a three-level golf entertainment venue across the street. This 70,000+ square-foot entertainment venue is being developed by Middle & Forest Grove, LLC, a new entity created by local investors Ryan Hintze, Doug Kratz, Kevin Koellner and Ben Logsdon.
The to-be-named project is currently in the schematic design phase, with construction expected to begin this spring and completed by summer/fall 2023.
“This stuff doesn’t happen just haphazardly,” Gallagher said Wednesday said. “There’s a focused, concerted effort on planning. We call it goal-setting and strategic planning.”
The city has had the same goals in the 11 years he has been mayor:
- Financially sound city providing quality city services.
- Orderly growth and quality development.
- Growing current businesses and attracting new ones.
- Riverfront/downtown development as a destination for entertainment and living.
- Premier place to live in the Quad Cities.
Bettendorf has three new senior living facilities, and is diversifying the types of residences, including duplexes and apartment complexes. In 2021, the city saw 130 new multi-family homes built (compared to 98 single-family homes), at a total value of $18.3 million.
Continuing to grow
At $5.67, Bettendorf has the lowest general fund property tax levy among 38 Iowa cities with populations of over 10,000.
“One of the reasons we can keep those taxes and fees so low is that we continue to grow,” Gallagher said. From 2010 to 2020, Bettendorf’s population jumped almost 18 percent, to 39,102. Total building permits issued rose from 3,466 in 2015 to 8,058 in 2020, with 5,622 permits in 2021.
The city provided funding for three new firefighters and the police department is benefitting this fiscal year and next from the addition of six new officers, Gallagher said. The city is continuing to transition to more environmentally friendly hybrid police cars.
Among capital improvement projects, the city will do a $1.2-million reconstruction of Tanglewood Road from Devils Glen to Crow Creek Park.
“Because of our growth – our increased construction, increased population, we’re up 17.7% in 10 years – we’re lowering taxes,” Gallagher said. The city’s portion of property taxes will be decreasing by 15 cents, to $12.65, the mayor said.
“That’s as a result of the growth we’re talking about today; you’ve seen it all around you,” he said. Sewer and storm water rates will rise slightly and solid waste fees will not change. That will result in a total taxpayer increase of $2.52 per month.
“Folks are doing a good job in running a really efficient city,” Gallagher said. “We’ve got great things that are happening.”
The Downtown Bettendorf Organization has granted $50,000 to improve downtown facades.
Gallagher praised Shive-Hattery’s new office building, which opened last fall on the north side of 56th Avenue. TBK Bank opened a new headquarters in a 65,000-square-foot mixed-use building downtown.
A big new celebration
The city is planning a big once-in-a-lifetime celebration on May 27, 2022 – the ZIP code party, 5-27-22 (matching Bettendorf’s ZIP).
“You don’t get another shot in your lifetime,” Gallagher said. “The next one comes in 3022. So let’s make sure we all take part in a great Friday afternoon/evening on May 27, 2022.”
That will kick off a week of activities, ending with the annual “Be Downtown” event in early June.
“This is our only shot; we gotta do this right,” Gallagher said. “No one’s gonna be alive in 3022, except maybe Larry Makoben, the former chairman of our park board.”
The new I-74 bridge will bring economic development to downtown Bettendorf. The bridge’s new bike/walking path should be done this spring, and the Iowa Department of Transportation will award a contract for the demolition of the old bridge by this summer.
The city is looking at opening a new outdoor pool in the next two years, and renovating and expanding Frozen Landing. Downtown Bettendorf will have new identifying features, including a water feature.
“We’re looking forward, looking ahead, trying to create a sense of place here in Bettendorf, the way you feel,” Gallagher said. “We’ve got great things happening, in all different areas of the city.”
He praised Kim Kidwell, the city’s director of culture and recreation. Last year, the city opened The Forge, an 18-hole putting course at Palmer Hills.
The Family Museum for the second year is a certified autism center, and this summer will host the popular traveling exhibit, “Thomas the Train & Friends.” The museum was able to install all new dance floors, thanks to support from the RDA and SCRA.
The Traveling Gallery renovation will be completed in 2023 and there’s a new partnership with United Way’s Born Learning parenting classes.
The Bettendorf Public Library opened a new Creation Studio, focusing on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) activities for all ages. The staff is also planning for the long-awaited return of the Summer Concert Series this year at Faye’s Field.
For more information on the city, visit bettendorf.org.
