Projects often aim to improve safety, foster connections, and create places residents proudly call home. For Iowa cities like Clinton and Hiawatha, turning a bold vision into tangible, lasting infrastructure takes more than funding and good intentions. It takes trust, steady collaboration, and space for thoughtful problem-solving.
Public spaces reflect more than infrastructure. Hiawatha Plaza is a revitalized corridor that shows what happens when city leaders and designers listen, plan with care, and create places that feel safe and welcoming for everyone.
Listening First to Understand
Every successful project begins with a conversation. When Shive-Hattery partners with a city, the first step is listening to residents, city staff, and stakeholders. What is driving this project? Is it a safety issue? Is it controversial? Who’s impacted?
In Clinton and Hiawatha, city staff took time to hear from residents, define priorities, and bring to the surface potential challenges early on.
That kind of listening clarifies the design and earns public trust by validating people’s input.
“You can’t design in isolation,” said Justin Campbell, civil engineer. “If we’re not out there asking questions and listening to concerns, we’re missing the real story. And we’re missing the right solution.”
Meeting Standards Without Losing Sight of People
In Clinton, Iowa, the city’s busiest road, Manufacturing Drive, was over 100 years old and lacked modern infrastructure. It was a two-lane rural road running right through the heart of town. With a $15 million federal grant secured, the pressure was on for City Engineer Jason Craft to deliver a design that modernized the corridor, passed federal and state reviews, and met the needs of the future.
From widening narrow rural roads to redesigning Bluff Boulevard along a bluff line, Clinton’s project demanded more than just engineering skills. They needed a design partner who understood the technical complexities and brought deep expertise in Department of Transportation standards.
That fluency ensured that draft submittals were timely and met state and federal requirements, helping the city stay on schedule and submit designs with confidence of approval.
“If your best road is your busiest road, it’ll be sort of a shining star for the community,” Craft said.
Craft says this two-phased project will provide a safer, more accessible corridor that supports daily commuters, long-term growth, and enhanced quality of life for everyone who lives along these roads.
This roundabout in Hiawatha, Iowa was shaped by practical questions from city leaders and built to keep traffic flowing and support the city’s long-term goals.
Innovation That Works in the Real World
Every project is unique because no two communities are the same. So, finding the best solution for a city requires knowledge of standards, creativity, and a willingness to think creatively.
During a modernization of Boyson Road in Hiawatha, business owners along the project route wanted a controlled intersection at Boyson Court. While neither a traffic signal nor a four-way stop was warranted, through discussions with the businesses and city it was decided that a roundabout would be a low-maintenance but valuable solution to handle the higher traffic volumes at peak hours.
City leaders raised a concern: what happens if there’s an accident at the intersection?
Shive-Hattery helped explore practical design alternatives, ultimately widening the lanes and incorporating a mountable center curb. If an emergency occurs, traffic can still flow. This kind of flexible thinking keeps projects resilient without overcomplicating them.
“Shive-Hattery is always trying to present the latest ideas,” said Jon Fitch, Hiawatha’s city engineer.
“Design evolves when we stop asking what’s possible and start asking what’s truly helpful. That’s where the best ideas live,” Campbell added.
At the Drive to Prosperity open house in Clinton, Iowa , city teams and partners invite questions, share ideas, and work side-by-side with the community to shape solutions that fit local needs.
Best Practices that Keep Projects on Track
What cities like Clinton and Hiawatha value most is how the work gets done. Through decades of experience, Shive-Hattery experts have developed best practices that make collaboration smoother and more successful.
Clarity for the Public — From open houses to live project websites, keeping residents informed reduces friction and builds civic enthusiasm.
Consistency for Staff — Bi-weekly updates and real-time responsiveness help city leaders stay ahead of challenges and align with internal stakeholders.
Independent Quality Reviews — Internal reviews by teams outside the project team catch issues early and strengthen design integrity.
Evidence-Based Planning – Sharing options, data, and insights helps clients make decisions with confidence, whether it’s choosing between a roundabout, lane conversion, or traffic signal. All ideas are presented with advice gained from years of experience.
“The way Shive-Hattery makes communication a priority. It helps keep the project in motion,” Fitch said. “When you make an ask, you get a response quickly and ideas on how it might be addressed.”
What Builds Confidence in Public Projects
Public infrastructure earns lasting support not through words, but through clear actions and choices that reflect community values. Here’s what helps city teams and their partners strengthen relationships and deliver on their promises:
Listen with intention: The strongest solutions begin with understanding. That means taking time to hear concerns, hopes, and ideas — not just technical requirements.
Communicate clearly and often: Consistent, honest updates help everyone stay aligned, navigate challenges, and celebrate progress together.
Follow through on commitments: Meeting milestones, solving problems without drama, and being dependable when conditions change — that’s what communities remember.
Stay focused on the public good: When the work puts people and long-term impact first, it earns respect and support that lasts beyond the project timeline.
Trust Earned One Project at a Time
Trust in infrastructure work isn’t just about delivering what’s promised. It’s about creating conditions to deliver well, again and again. That kind of trust grows when collaboration is steady, decisions are transparent, and small wins compound into long-term progress.
For city engineers like Craft and Fitch, having continuity in project teams means less friction and more momentum. There’s a shared rhythm that builds over time. One where expectations are aligned and decisions come easier.
That trust isn’t earned through a single deliverable. It’s built project by project, by helping public-sector leaders make confident decisions, stay aligned with stakeholders, and deliver visible outcomes that their community can be proud of.
“You build trust in phases, just like a road project. You show up, you do the work, and you leave things better than you found them. Then you get invited back,” said Campbell.
At its best, infrastructure reflects more than good engineering. It reflects local values, thoughtful planning, and working relationships behind the scenes. Projects like those in Clinton and Hiawatha don’t just solve immediate needs. They strengthen the foundation for what’s next.
