Klingner and the City of Fort Madison received a 2025 National Recognition Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies, the business voice of the nation’s engineering and design industry. The win comes after receiving the Grand Prize in the Special Projects category from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Iowa.
In 2021, the City of Fort Madison hired Klingner to help expand and restore the marina, which had gained significant sedimentation from years of flooding. The project, which required considerable skill and expertise, involved innovative solutions to maximize use and create safe conditions for boaters. Klingner’s team utilized advanced modeling to optimize the marina’s design without impacting flood profiles. Most impressively, they implemented a groundbreaking system of rock weirs to dewater dredge materials, which allowed for faster drying. That material was then reused to elevate the park – saving the City over $5M dollars and reducing waste.
“The City of Fort Madison had an incredible vision for their riverfront,” said Bryan Bross, PE, RG, Vice President at Klingner. “We’re glad that we could help them navigate regulatory requirements to transform this underutilized space into a thriving community asset that will serve the area for decades to come.”
The revitalized marina is crucial to the economic development of the Fort Madison area as well as the quality of life of its 10,000 residents. The project expanded the marina from 5.48 acres to 7.24 acres, increasing the number of boat slips from between 85-100 to 172. Klingner also provided architectural and structural design for the new 12,000 SF hospitality center, which houses a restaurant, event space, convenience store, and more.
“The City of Fort Madison is fortunate to have had the opportunity to renovate and expand our marina into an inviting location for boaters in our community and for our visitors along the Mississippi River with the Fort Madison Marina Rehabilitation Project,” said City Manager Laura Liegois. “The entire project benefitted not only our boating enthusiasts, but it provided space for a new location for dining and entertainment for the community and visitors.”
To qualify for the national awards, projects must have been nominated by one of ACEC’s 51 state and regional Member Organizations. All projects were completed between Nov. 1, 2022, and Oct. 31, 2024. Nominees are evaluated based on overall engineering excellence; the work performed by the entering firm; and the project’s uniqueness, value to the engineering profession, design considerations, complexity, and fulfillment of the owner’s needs.
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