The Interstate 74 Bridge Landscaping came to life after all major work was completed of the new I-74 Viaduct and ramps. With a new bridge built, the goal was to make use of the land under the bridge that will not be able to grow normal vegetation.
The Iowa Department of Transportation designed a 2,700-square-yard bike path to snake under the bridge through the piers. Erosion curbs and 7,800 tons of various colors of decorative rock, limestone flagstone, and boulders were added. Additionally, there is now a decorative access control fence, 1,300 shrubs, 350 trees, and permanent drains throughout the area.
Our team at McCarthy Improvement was the prime contractor on this project. McCarthy Improvement completed the paving, grading, storm sewer, decorative aggregate, and erosion curb. We worked mostly with Smith Seeding out of Eldridge for the trees, shrubs, bio-cell plantings, flagstone, and limestone boulder installation.
The work we’ve done here has taken an area that had drainage issues and no growth and transformed it into an extension of the City of Bettendorf’s bike path network.
