$18 million in new city projects proposed; with $15.3 in new bonds to finance improvements

> Sewer/water system extensions for I-80/Middle Road development would get funding start

> Forest Grove Road, Tanglefoot and Hopewell would get widening/paving

More than $18 million in new streets, recreation trails, sewer system upgrades, water main extensions, park improvements and stormwater control projects are included in the proposed 2013-14 community improvement plan (CIP) under review by the Bettendorf City Council.

Cost of the projects would be financed primarily by issuing bonds (long term debt) including: $12.5 million in general obligation bonds, more than $1.3 million in sewer general obligation and revenue bonds, and $1.47 million in general obligation stormwater bonds.

If approved by the city council and issued by the city next year, the bonds would add to the city's current $119-million debt (as of 6/30/2012). The remainder of the money for the CIP work is anticipated to come from state/city sales tax revenue and state and federal grants.

The CIP also anticipates a 10 percent increase in sewer rates and a 13 percent hike in stormwater rates in early 2014 in order to pay the additional principal and interest that would be needed to begin repaying the sewer and stormwater bonds.

Major projects included in the fiscal 2013-14 CIP include:

• $1.1 million to begin widening of Forest Grove Road from its current two-lane seal-coated surface to a four-lane concrete roadway with 10-foot recreational trail along south side of roadway. Completing the entire Forest Grove Road upgrade from Utica Ridge to International Drive over the next five years will cost an estimated $9.2 million with federal aid expected to pay $7.8 million of that cost.
• $1 million for paving of Hopewell from Middle to Century Heights 18th Addition, including a 10-foot recreationl trail alongside the roadway. Completing the Hopewell paving (plus 10-foot recreation trail) from Middle to Criswell over the next five years is estimated at nearly $4.7 million.
• $1.3 million for widening of Tanglefoot Road from Greenbriar to Utica Ridge, the final phase of the three-year Tanglefoot improvement.
• $850,000 for a 10-foot separated recreation trail on the east side of Devils Glen from Crow Creek Road to Middle Road.
• $720,000 for a separated recreation trail along Middle Road from Devils Glen to Duck Creek Bridge.
• $700,000 for the first year of a five-year $3.5-million commitment to develop the new Forest Grove Park.
• $700,000 for downtown land purchases and improvements.
• $600,000 for building a lift station and access road to it in the new Forest Grove Park as the first step to extending sewer lines along Spencer Creek to serve the I-80/Middle Road corridor. (Another $1.2 million will be needed in future years to complete the lift station, and the extension of sewer mains from the lift station (under I-80) to Middle Road will cost an additional $1.79 million.)
• $600,000 for joint sewer improvements with Davenport to address stormwater infiltration into sanitary sewers and expand/improve the treatment capacity of the Davenport treatment plant (owned 19.8 percent by Bettendorf) to better handle peak sewer flows. The 5-year sewage treatment system/plant upgrades are estimated to cost $5.2 million. The sewer system improvements and new Spencer Creek lift station/interceptor will require a 4-year phased-in rate increase totaling more than 28 percent.
• $490,000 for construction of the Hopewell Regional Detention basin near the new Hopewell Elementary School.
• $246,000 for installation of an 8-inch water main to serve the Interstate 80/Middle Road corridor.

The council is expected to vote on the CIP plan in January.

CLICK HERE to download a full version of the CIP under review by the city council.