HEI is specifically responsible for Phase I and II engineering for improvements to 12th Avenue from 1st Street to 7th Street through the Rust Belt District and Phase II engineering services for streetscape improvements to Bend Boulevard and Mississippi Parkway.  

Improvements to 12th Avenue consist of reconstructed PCC pavements with integral curbs, addition of a 10’ multi-use path, storm sewer improvements, new traffic signals with railroad preemption at 3rd Street and 7th Street, streetscaping, and associated work. HEI services include alignment studies, intersection design studies, traffic signal design, railroad coordination, crash analysis, drainage studies, utility coordination, public involvement, construction staging, project development report, plans, specifications and estimates for state lettings. The improved 12th Avenue will provide pedestrian friendly access and additional roadway capacity for the ongoing development in the Bend and Rust Belt Districts.  

Improvements to Bend Boulevard and Mississippi Parkway include installation of new ADA compliant PCC multi-use paths and sidewalks, raised crosswalks, landscaping, and streetscape amenities. HEI services included utility coordination, IDOT coordination, and preparation of plans, specifications, and estimates for a January 2026 IDOT letting. 

This project has already proven to showcase the effectiveness of a well-connected and compatible owner/design team. All four sub-project areas continue to be on schedule, which exemplifies the success of a partnered approach to improving the quality of community spaces by re-imagining transportation challenges. 

The project will enhance connectivity between East Moline residents and their former industrial riverfront, creating safe bike and pedestrian connections between neighborhoods and the river. It will also facilitate economic development by enabling further redevelopment of an abandoned factory site and allowing the city’s business district to benefit from this growth and redevelopment. One of the project’s main challenges is the strict deadline imposed by the terms of the RAISE grant, which requires effective coordination with the Owner, engineering partners, contractors, federal and state agencies, railroads, business owners, and the public.